Article content continued

“Yesterday, we agreed to have a conversation about this. We agreed that we will bring this to the community and to the membership, but at the end of the day, if my membership says no way, we want to have police floats, they decide.”

BLM said they did not tell organizers about their plan to hijack the parade, an act that has since been called a “win” by the group, but widely criticized by many others.

Janaya Khan, a co-founder of the Toronto chapter, said the 30-minute planned protest that blocked the celebration at Yonge and College for its “anti-black practises” was kept “on a communal level.”

“Pride organizers were not made aware at the time because we did not feel that would be the most impactful action,” Khan said.

Apparently to some, our demands are “too radical/divisive.” Look for yourselves fam #BlackPride pic.twitter.com/NxfaMnYUaf — BlackLivesMatter TO (@BLM_TO) July 4, 2016

Toronto Police Association President Mike McCormack said on AM 640 radio on Monday that he thinks the protest was “shameful.”

“Not only did it hijack the parade, it hijacked the purpose,” McCormack said.

“We in the policing community and the LGBT community worked together for many years making this a great event. Now what is everybody talking about? Black Lives Matter. You can’t tell me the organizers could be that naive to think this wouldn’t happen.”

There’s no Pride in Policing. #blackpride pic.twitter.com/zHhfRBV5Wc — BlackLivesMatter TO (@BLM_TO) July 3, 2016

Toronto Police, who had a visible presence at Pride, said they are not commenting on the demands made by BLM.

“I suggest you speak either with Black Lives Matter or with the Pride organizers. Those are the two people who are involved as far as I understand it,” police spokesperson Mark Pugash said.