Full Breakdown
Steinbach Pride Returns Amid Security Concerns
By Drooid · · How we work
Event Overview
Members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community and allies marched along Main Street in Steinbach, Manitoba, for the town’s annual Pride celebration on Saturday. Organizers highlighted a newly formed security council, created after last year’s event was halted, to help ensure a safe environment for attendees. Provincial Premier Wab Kinew and several cabinet ministers joined the crowd, marking the premier’s first public visit to Steinbach since his 2023 election.
Background & Context
The 2024 Pride festival was postponed after organizers received “credible safety threats” linked to far-right extremism, according to a statement from the Manitoba Pride Alliance. Organizers said the threats followed verbal intimidation that referenced a recent shooting of American political influencer Charlie Kirk. In lieu of the postponed festival, a Queer Country Fair was held in October. The security council, announced by Steinbach Pride board president Chris Plett, was intended to prevent a repeat of the prior year’s disruption.
Official Statements & Responses
He also referenced the late Mica Schellenberg, a former Hanover School Division student who advocated for inclusive diversity policies before her 2021 death. Plett noted that while most provincial NDP officials attended, local elected representatives were largely absent; MLA Kelvin Goertzen was the only local official who could not be present.
Opposition
A small group of protestors carried signs with Biblical verses and voiced religious objections.