Steinbach Pride celebrates after on-street parade permit granted

Organizers of Steinbach's inaugural Pride march have finally been granted a permit for the July 9 parade, which allows the event to take to the streets rather than stay on the sidewalk.

"I'm veryexcited and very pleased,"saidparadeorganizerand Steinbach Pride spokeswoman Michelle McHale.

She said sheexpects around 1,000 people to attend, which is far more than the original estimate of about 200.

"It's really quite something," McHale said, adding she has been told a carload of people from Northern Ontario are coming, as well as others from as far as the British Columbiaand Florida.

The permit to march on the street was initially denied by theRCMP, who cited "safety reasons" due to road construction.Organizerswere told instead they would have to stick to the sidewalk.

After some route reworking by organizers, theRCMPsaid they would reassess theirdecision.

• RCMP'reassessing' permit forSteinbach's1st Pride Parade

It was announced late Tuesday on the Facebook page forSteinbach Pridethat the RCMPreversed the decision then negotiated with the city to get the permit approved.

"The RCMP have been amazing. They've worked closely with us," said McHale.

The new parade route will begin atE.A. Friesen Park, adjacent to the Jake Epp Library, and proceed to city hall.

"The walk will be a bit shorter, but it is really the rally at city hall that is most important," states the posting on the group's Facebook page.

Parade divides city

The march has revealed a split inManitoba's third-largest city, with some residents opposed to it and many politicians saying they will not attend.

Conservative MP Ted Falk, Mayor Chris Goertzen and MLA Kelvin Goertzen have said they are not going. As well,the city's mayor and city council released awritten statement last week,sayingthey would not endorse the event but thattheLGBTcommunity is welcome in the city.

Steinbachboasts a large faith community, and a number ofresidents havecited their Christian beliefsas a reason for refusing to backthe march.

• Steinbach split on Pride Parade celebrations
• Steinbach-areapoliticians will be no-shows at city's 1st Pride parade

Others, however, are fully in support, including Manitoba's newly installed commanding officer for the RCMP, Scott Kolody. On Monday, he said he would personally march in the parade.

"I will be there, my officers will be there and I know this will be a great event for all," he said.

RCMP have previously said they wouldbe taking part in the parade, but this is the first time the force's commanding officer in Manitoba has spoken on the issue.

McHale said the RCMP's support has inspired others to attend the march as well.

"Since we've released some information stating that the RCMP are planning security for the event and that kind of thing, some people are saying, 'Well, given that, then we'll attend too,'" she said.

• Manitoba RCMP's commanding officer to march in Steinbach Pride parade

With the permit issueresolved, McHalesaidit's important for people to understand that the event is about showing support for the LGBTcommunity through strength in numbers, not about fighting for equality by using violence.

"It's really important that people come out to show love and support to the LGBTQ community ... it's not about challenging people who oppose this,"McHale said.

She said there have been comments on social media about wanting to riotto even the scorefor all the violence ever perpetuated against the LGBTcommunity.

Some comments referencedthe Stonewall Riots of1969between police and gay rights activists outside theStonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York'sGreenwich Village, which later gave rise to thegay rights movement.

The SteinbachPride Facebook page administrators posted a note to the site calling on people not to resort to violence and stressing the difference between the current situation and the issues that led to the Stonewall Riots.

"The Stonewall Riots were in response to police brutality, which we do not have here," states the message.

"The Stonewall riots were about a community fighting backafter being beaten. Yes, we are also fighting for equal rights, butthe RCMP, the lawand history are all on our side this time.

"Violence and aggression are not the answer, and will not be tolerated," the post said.