‘Safety is our ultimate goal’: Steinbach cancels annual Pride event

Saturday’s annual Pride rally and march in Steinbach was called off after multiple threats prompted concerns about the safety of attendees, an organizer told the Free Press.

Chris Plett, president of Steinbach Pride, declined to disclose the nature of the threats and where they were made, but said they were reported to RCMP when organizers became aware of them Friday.

“One of the (event’s) entertainers contacted us and requested to remove themselves from the program because they heard some credible information about some threats that could be happening at the event,” Plett said. “It wasn’t clear if it was going to be a physical situation or if it was just going to be a disturbance. The unknowns were too great, and safety is our ultimate goal.”

Plett said the threats were reactive to Wednesday’s assassination of U.S. conservative activist Charlie Kirk during an event at a Utah university.

“The environment is heated, and there’s a lot of hatred that we’ve seen online in our community directed at the LGBTQI community,” said Plett, who condemned Kirk’s killing and denounced violence.

An RCMP spokesperson could not be reached for comment Saturday.

“We respect people’s right to protest, but there’s a difference between protest and threat,” Plett said. “Maybe the individuals that were doing this didn’t know there’s a difference and were just speaking from their heart quite passionately, and didn’t realize the ramifications of their words or consequences of their words.”

He stressed the decision to not proceed with the Pride event wasn’t taken lightly.

“This morning has been difficult as we’ve been seeing, unfortunately, a lot of people in the Steinbach area making some surprisingly terrible, hateful comments towards the cancellation, saying it was a win on their part,” Plett said Saturday.

“We see it otherwise. Caring about the safety of the people in our community and loving the people in our community is absolutely the win. Hatred towards the community, and people professing to be one thing and then hating people at the next moment doesn’t look like a win in anybody else’s eyes.”

In a statement on social media, Manitoba Pride Alliance said the cancellation was due to credible threats connected to far-right extremism.“No one should have to choose between visibility and personal safety,” the post said.

“The fact that extremist violence has escalated to the point of silencing a peaceful celebration of love and inclusion is deeply alarming. Hate has no place in Steinbach, in Manitoba, or anywhere in Canada.”

The alliance called on local leaders and all Manitobans to condemn the threats.

Plett said he has seen progress since the first Pride event was held in Steinbach in 2016. Manitoba’s third most-populated city, with a population of more than 17,500, is located about 45 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg in the province’s so-called “Bible Belt.” The city has a reputation for conservative and Christian roots.

The threats occurred while Pride organizations report a rise in anti-LGBTTQ+ sentiment, fuelled in part by rhetoric on social media and the political situation in the U.S.

“We always strive to make (the Steinbach area) a safer place for everybody, and literally everybody,” Plett said. “We really care about both sides of the fence, and that’s why we strive to educate and reduce the stigma in between the two.

“It saddens me when we get to this point where it feels like you didn’t take a step back, but it feels like you were thrown back.”

Recent Pride events in some Canadian provinces and U.S. states have been cancelled or scaled back because of threats or harassment. Security costs have escalated for Pride organizations, including those in Manitoba that are run by volunteers and have limited budgets.

“The fact that an event for Pride has to be canceled in 2025 shows the growing need for why 2SLGBT community voices need to be heard and need to be uplifted,” said Barry Karlenzig, president of Pride Winnipeg, while expressing solidarity with Pride Steinbach.

“People should be able to be their authentic self around the world, around Canada and especially around the province of Manitoba.”

He said safety concerns have “increased dramatically” in the last few years.

“We have definitely seen a growing amount of hate where we have had to add more security than ever to ensure our events are safe for our community,” Karlenzig said.

“For our community, please do not let this take a step back. Please make sure to still be your authentic selves and be who you are because there are organizations that are there to support you however we can.”

Last year, food truck operators withdrew from Altona’s Pride celebration after threats of vandalism were made online before the event.

The federal government cited “rising levels of 2SLGBTQI+ hate” when it gave $3 million over two years to help offset increasing security and insurance costs for Pride events in Canada.

The funds are managed by Fierté Canada Pride, a national umbrella organization. Director of operations Brice Field said this year’s funding of $1.5 million ran out amid a 31 per cent increase in new applicants.

“Based on the requests that we’re receiving, we know there is an increased cost and need for Pride festivals to keep their community safe,” he said.

Field said his heart broke when he learned Steinbach Pride’s event was cancelled.

“When an event like this gets cancelled, my heart goes out and I hurt for the queer youth that needed today to be able to feel the support they needed to go on,” he said.

Next year is Steinbach Pride’s 10th year of existence, Plett noted.

“We’re not going to slow down. If anything, it lit the fire even more so, and we’re just going to make absolutely sure next year is as safe as it could possibly be, and it’s going to be the biggest, loudest and most amazing event that Steinbach has ever seen,” he said.

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca