In the midst of a disturbing rise in hate crimes targeting the LGBTQ2S+ community across Canada, another violent incident has left everyone shocked.
Ottawa Centre MPP Joel Harden was assaulted by an anti-trans protestor while attending a rally in support of queer and trans rights in Ottawa Friday morning.
Harden, who recently spoke at the Ontario Legislation on Thursday about the importance of protection for queer and trans youth as the country celebrates Pride Month, was punched several times by the anti-trans protestor.
Harden has been attending rallies and protests for over thirty years now, he says.
He attended the Broadview rally on Friday morning to support queer and trans youth, and potentially de-escalate any violent situation as events have been targeted by anti-trans protestors in the past.
“We held a part of the street far away from schools as we did not want to be protesting in front of schools, so we gathered near where they said they would gather,” Harden said.
Police were also on hand to ensure public safety.
Harden estimated around eighty anti-trans protestors at the rally, screaming and coming close to the young people in an attempt to start fights. Although he wasn’t comfortable sharing some of the things said, he did say some of them were “absolutely vile”.
I felt something really bad was going to happenJoel Harden, Ottawa Centre MPP
Harden said that out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a woman berating another individual and had her hands in the person’s hair. He rushed over and stood between them in an attempt to ensure the safety of everyone in attendance.
“I felt a punch in the back and then a rabbit-punch to the face,” Harden recounted. “It happened in a split-second.”
One of the members of the rally quickly pulled the woman away after realizing what had happened.
Harden, who has long sounded the alarm on rising hate against queer and trans people, believes that there is a deliberate effort to manipulate people’s desire to safeguard children and it’s being weaponized.
“I am a father. What measures I wouldn’t go to in an effort to protect my own children. But what this movement is doing is convincing individuals that to protect your children, you have to hate trans and queer people,” he says.
The MPP, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario five years ago, believes that much of this hatred stems from a place of fear of not understanding LGBTQ2S+ experiences and that is why, bridges need to be built to start conversations.
“We are not your enemy,” he added.
Harden also believes that social media has become this “vitriolic cesspool” where individuals are dehumanizing each other increasingly.
“History and present day has taught me that there are some of us who are willing to put the work in to de-program hatred, and I’m down for that,” said Harden. “If people want to come to my office and throw rotten tomatoes at me, come over.”
Harden says he remains hopeful that people will come together and build solidarity.
Harden says that if he were to ever meet the woman who assaulted him, he would like to “share a meal with her”.
“If I meet her again, and I hope I do, I would like to share a meal with her, heck, I would pay for it. Then I would ask her what motivated her to do what she did. I want to work together to try and fix our country to make it better,” he said.
‘I’m proud of you’: Social media responds to Harden
Harden received an outpouring of support after posting a photo of his bruised face to social media after the incident
“I’ll take a punch for queer and trans youth any day,” Harden tweeted.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh shared a tweet saying he was proud of Harden for standing up.
“Queer and trans people—and kids—are being targeted by angry and hateful extremists. Governments must step up to protect the queer and trans community,” he wrote.
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe shared a tweet stating that “hate has no place in our city.”
“Protests like the one today on Broadview should not be allowed to disrupt children and their education. And hatred has no place anywhere in our city,” he wrote.
Another Twitter user shared “it’s time to come together, mobilize, and build solidarity on this issue.”
Twitter user Fae Johnstone thanked Harden for his longstanding efforts to take on the hatred that the LGBTQ2 community faces.
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