5 arrested at tense faceoff between group protesting 'gender ideology' and counter-demonstrators

Five people were arrested on Broadview Avenue in Ottawa on Friday, where hundreds of demonstrators gathered to "drown out" and counter a man who was protesting what he calls "gender ideology."

The two groups chanted slogans like "protect trans rights" and "leave the kids alone" at each other, at times separated by a line of police officers. 

Three schools and a medical centre sit along or near Broadview Avenue close to where the demonstration was held. 

On one side was Chris Elston, a man who travels across the country sharing his concerns about whether transgender children can consent to hormone blockers that delay signs of puberty, and roughly about 200 of his followers. 

He wore a sandwich board stating that "children cannot consent to puberty blockers," and wore the same slogan when he visited the school back in 2021.

On the other side was a somewhat larger group of more than 200 counter-protesters who had come to "drown out hate" as a response to Elston's "Education over Indoctrination" march. 

Their signs brandished slogans like "protect trans youth" and "refuse to be your child's first bully."

"Part of the reason why we're countering in public spaces is to show them that we vastly outnumber them, that their opinions are not only vile, but a minority," said Emily Quaile, who helped organize the counter-protest and is a parent of a student at Broadview Public School.

"And if we don't, if we let them take up public space, they are free to spread that rhetoric and recruit more people."

Elston told CBC News the counter-protesters didn't faze him, but he felt "parents need to understand what their kids are being taught." 

"I'm not here to have conversations with them," Elston said, referring to the counter-protesters. "You have to be willing to receive a message and have an open dialogue. These people aren't willing to do that."

Earlier in the week, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) had requested the two groups relocate their respective gatherings, emphasizing "schools are for learning and should not be targeted for political protests."

Meanwhile, Ottawa Centre MPP Joel Harden had promoted the counter-demonstration, tweeting that it's important "to show queer and trans youth we are on their side."

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said in a tweet Friday afternoon that protests such as the one on Broadview Avenue "should not be allowed to disrupt children and their education."

"Schools should be a safe space for children to learn and develop, not a target for political protests," the tweet said.

Police tweeted in the early afternoon that five people were arrested, but did not provide further information on those arrests.

On top of the arrests, Ottawa police closed a section of the street, which later reopened.

In an email, a spokesperson for the OCDSB said schools should not be the target of political protests and extended thanks to parents and police for their support through the demonstration.

"Hate is not welcome here. To 2SLGBTQ+ students, staff, and community members, please know you belong and deserve to feel welcome and accepted to be who you are," the email said.

In the crowd of counter-protesters was Lyra Evans, chair of the OCDSB board of trustees, who felt it was important to be in attendance, despite the school board's statement from earlier in the week.

Evans felt the demonstrations were far enough away from the board's two schools.   

"It's really important that LGBTQ people see themselves represented in protests," said Evans, a transgender woman. 

"It's really important to show up in community events and show that the people in power have not lost the ability to show up to support the community."