Tomorrow's going to be a very.....intense day in Toronto with some of the Ottawa "Protesters" and others going to Queen's Park to "Protest" (Provincial level of government)
Some streets are already blocked, right near hospitals too, and shops are closing throughout the weekend.
At least there's a counter-protest happening. Thinking of going, but I'm a bit nervous something might break considering the protest is happening right near Queen's park......
I’m deeply fucking worried
Canada’s basic left is extremely complacent with a dash of non-US superiority (sorry gang but I’m calling it like it is) which means when fascy shit goes down, Canadians are like “omg how could this happen here?!” or “well it’s not the same as the really bad shit!”
and the resulting dearth of grassroots anti-fascism — something the US has significantly more of due to the more overt fascy shit and the usual infuriating struggle for basic rights — means that when you have people in trucks flying nazi flags descending on major cities and gathering guns, very few people are prepared to / willing to / know how to make that mindset truly unwelcome
we get stern tweets from MPs and a lot of “how?!” and small counter-protests that assume a level of decency and kernels of benevolent intent
and I have seen that hopeful mindset get people hurt. and get people killed.
so I’m really scared that the counter-protest is the Canadian equivalent of “uwu be nice to healthcare workers during your rally please!” and asking the attendees to dress distinctively and identifiably as healthcare workers, plus suggesting slogans that at minimum would get you a swirlie if these
weren’t nazis…
isn’t going to be “counter” anything
and will be ignored if we’re lucky, or harmed if we’re not
this is a bunch of people rallied and incensed by misinformation and / or not caring about public health at best, and white nationalists both domestic and foreign at realistic (not even worst — considering the funders and influencers and flags flown this shit is bleak)
like don’t get me wrong I’m always pro countering stupid shit
but this truck shit isn’t a tidy little protest about perceived rights et cetera
it has ballooned in some areas and been hijacked in others and is a channel for vile shit
don’t get me wrong I didn’t write this all out to dunk on a good-faith counter-protest. I’m just really worried that the techniques in that document really fucking do not account for who they’re up against when healthcare workers are getting memos to not wear their scrubs and ID badges on the TTC because they could be targeted and assaulted on the way to work
it’s just fucking bad and scary and I’m so tired of being a teabag in a ceaseless cascade of horrors
I don’t
want to have to be suggesting any of this
I want to believe everyone’s acting in the interest of others and community and kindness
but it’s not true
and we keep learning that the hard way