Vancouver Pride Society says LGBTQ community 'hyper aware' in wake of Orlando massacre
Society is calling for straight allies to show up in support at this year's Pride parade
Vancouver's Pride Society is calling on the straight community to join this year's parade in a statement of solidarity and support with the LGBTQ community.
Michelle Fortin, board chair of the society, told CBC News Wednesday that the massacre in Orlando has created a "greater awareness of perceived threat" in the city.
Police are investigating an attack on a man as he walked to the Vancouver vigil for Orlando on Monday evening. Dallas Groot told police he was knocked down from behind while carrying a rainbow flag.
Another unconfirmed report of an older man allegedly assaulted in Yaletown on Monday evening has been circulating on social media.
Fortin said that it is natural that the community should feel more vulnerable, regardless of whether the acts were connected in some way to what happened in Orlando.
"We are hyper aware," she said, noting that a recurrent theme on social media was a return to a time younger members of the community have never experienced.
"If you are over 40, this harkens back to a darker time, when safety was much more of an issue."
As the society prepares for its annual safety meeting with the VPD tomorrow, Fortin says there is "a huge opportunity for our straight allies — family members, friends and others — to join us and show strength together."
The VPD says that they are not seeing an increase in assaults on members of the LGBTQ community.
"The incident being shared though social media has not been verified, and we encourage that person to contact the police," Sgt. Randy Fincham told CBC News in an email.
As far as planning for this year's Pride Parade is concerned, Fincham said that police are planning for a number of events scheduled in the city across the summer and are not aware of any specific threat to Vancouver.
This year's Vancouver Pride Parade will take place on Sunday July 31.