EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally appeared on The Trillium, a new Village Media website devoted to covering provincial politics at Queen’s Park
A New Democrat MPP says he was punched in the face in Ottawa at a clash between several hundred demonstrators who were either protesting "gender ideology" or there as counter-protesters.
Joel Harden, the NDP representative at Queen's Park for Ottawa Centre, attended on the pro-LGBTQ and transgender rights side. He tweeted from where the two sides came to a head in Ottawa's Westboro neighbourhood that he had been punched by someone who was part of what he later described to The Trillium as the "hater contingent."
"I’ll take a punch for queer and trans youth any day," Harden said on Twitter. He said later that he wasn't hurt, and hadn't required medical attention.
As of 4 p.m., five people have been arrested at the demonstrations that turned violent on Friday, according to the Ottawa Police.
The first of the clashing protests was organized by anti-"gender ideology" activist Chris Elston, who goes by Billboard Chris online and is from British Columbia. "Gender ideology" is a term popularized by opponents of the idea that a person's gender identity can differ from their born sex.
In response to Elston's protest, local community groups Horizon Ottawa and Community Solidarity Ottawa were involved in the planning of the counter-protest to support transgender rights.
A few hundred demonstrators supporting each side attended, reports from local journalists and videos taken there indicate.
Harden told The Trillium that he was hit by "a bit of a sucker punch" by a woman associated with the Elston-led group while he was amid a crowd.
"She punched me once in the back and I stupidly looked over my shoulder to see where she was, and she rabbit punched me," Harden said. "It is what it is, I'm totally fine anyway."
The NDP said he did not know if the woman who struck him was among those who were arrested. Harden said he prefer she not be arrested and wished that instead "they come to grips with why they hate trans kids so much that they feel that's necessary."
Harden said that Friday's events showed him "we need to have a community safety plan for Pride events everywhere in Ontario."
"I'm convinced now that there are some people who hate who hate queer and trans people so much that they literally want to hurt them," he added.
The NDP MPP also said he'd like to see Solicitor General Michael Kerzner visit Ottawa to talk to communities and organizations who face threats of violence.
Just over a month ago, the Progressive Conservative provincial government announced the launch of Ontario's new Anti-Hate Security and Prevention Grant. It allows religious groups, Indigenous communities and "cultural" communities — including LGBTQ organizations — to receive up to $10,000 to cover security costs against "hate-motivated incidents." Applications for the grant haven't opened yet, but will in "summer 2023," the government's website says.
"I think Michael Kerzner is someone who understands, coming as a Jewish man, coming from a community who has been targeted, that has faced threats," Harden said. "He understands how important it is for us to keep these events safe... I welcome the opportunity for him to come and talk to some of the community leaders here — because we can't have what happened today be a regular thing. We have to find a way to de-escalate this."
Over the weekend, online commentators accused Harden and Ottawa city councillor Ariel Troster, who'd said she'd witnessed the punch, of lying about it, based on a video that appears to show that Harden's facial injury was caused by his megaphone. In response, Harden tweeted that he was holding a megaphone against his face when he was punched and the "blow glanced off the megaphone," which cut his face.
Editor's note: This story was updated on Sunday, June 11 to add new information about the online controversy over the incident.
—With files from The Canadian Press