Hamilton Pride refusing to ‘share space with hate groups’

Organizers of Hamilton’s Pride Rally have moved its celebration away from what it calls a protest in support of Islamophobia and discrimination planned by hate groups.

The pride rally was originally scheduled to take place Saturday at city hall between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. but it has been moved to Corktown Park next to Ferguson Avenue South between Young Street and Forest Avenue.

All other Hamilton Pride 2017 events are going ahead as originally scheduled.

Rally officials say they did not want their event to overlap with a protest at city hall by the Soldiers of Odin and the Canadian Combat Coalition.

In a news release, Hamilton Pride says, “We refuse to share space with hate groups.”

The Soldiers of Odin and the Canadian Combat Coalition oppose anti-Islamophobia motion M-103 that was passed in the House of Commons in February.

It condemns all forms of discrimination including those of a religious basis against Muslim people.

Canadian Combat Coalition members Jeff Chambers told CHML News they are “a non-violent group and don’t oppose any groups or people in general.”

He added, “I had contacted Pride via Facebook… since we were threatened with violence from another group, Antifa, we chose to pull out so that there would be no disruptions of the Pride event.”