Large police presence at 2nd 1 Million March in Hamilton, met with counter protest

There was a large police presence in downtown Hamilton on Saturday as the so-called “1 Million March for Children” was underway for the second time this year in the city and across the country.

The demonstration was being held at city hall but the marchers were met by counter-protestors waving pride flags, and holding signs in support of LGBTQ2S+ lessons in school.

CHCH News spoke with Jelena Vermilion, who was the victim of a hate crime at the ‘Take Back the Night’ event On Sept. 21.

READ MORE: Assault at Hamilton’s Take Back the Night march deemed a hate crime

She says she’s participating in the rally because it’s important to show solidarity when the LGBTQ2S+ community is being targeted.

1 Million March for Children is a nation-wide demonstration protesting against sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) education in schools. There are no reports of anywhere near a million people involved.

Hamilton police tweeted this afternoon that officers would be present at the march and that drones would be put in the air as well.

The event ended shortly after 2 p.m., and no issues were reported.

The demonstration at #HamOnt City Hall is over and the RPAS is down. Thanks to everyone for their patience as we worked to ensure public safety for everyone.

— Hamilton Police (@HamiltonPolice) October 21, 2023