Protesting Against What?
April 24, 2022 § 6 Comments
I am back home in Montréal this weekend. I’m staying in the Centre-Sud, near the corner of Ontario and Berri. Yesterday, I was walking back to my AirBnB along Ontario and has just got back to my flat when a most curious protest made its way down Ontario, with police protection, I may add. These were people protesting for ‘freedom,’ against Covid restrictions and vaccine mandates. Their words, screamed through loud speakers made no sense. Their iconography was even more confused.
I must say I deeply resent this crowd co-opting the Canadian flag. They are not patriots. They do not know the history or culture of this country. They do not understand what Canada stands for either at home or abroad. I am equally resentful of their co-optation of the flag of Québec, for the same reasons. These are not patriots, of either Québec or Canada. They’re Americanized.
Mixed in with the Canadian and Québec flags were American flags, the Gadsden flag, the stars and bars (the Confederate battle flag), a few Trump 2024 flags, and, oddly, the Mohawk Warrior flag. What, exactly do any of those American and Confederate flags have to do with a protest for freedom in Montréal, Québec, Canada? Why were the folks with the bullhorns calling for a chant of Trump’s name (it didn’t take)? Two of the protesters, both young men, were holding up a sign demanding their First and Second Amendment rights. WTF?
I was particularly perplexed by the Mohawk Warrior flag, one that has deep meaning in Québec and Canada, dating back at least to the Oka Crisis of 1990. I talked to my friend, Greg Horn, who is the owner and editor of Iori:wase, the newspaper of the Kanien’kehá:ka Nation. He was equally perplexed, but noted that right wing protesters have been co-opting the Warrior flag for awhile now. I should add that every single person in this convoy of about 80 was white. All of them. This is nothing more than cultural co-optation.
But so, too, is the transfer of American politics onto Québec and Canada. Clearly, these protesters don’t realize that Canada is a sovereign nation. They didn’t mention any Canadian politicians as they passed me, nor did they mention any Canadian political parties. Not even the People’s Party of Canada, the most extreme right wing party in the country. No. They focused on American politics.
Greg and I agreed this can only be wilful blindness to reality.
Matthew Barlow 
I’m glad to read this. A friend was arguing the Canadian truckers protest was misinterpreted and I had no knowledge of the situation and asked questions mostly. That argument didn’t make sense.
Deidre
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There is no sense to the argument these people are making, they do not understand what it is they are saying. Full stop. There is no logic.
Symbols never have to make sense; they just have to make you feel good. Considering the more rightwing U.S. citizens would normally disparage Native American rights, that they’ve coopted a Native American flag for THEIR resistance is about par for the course. After all, looking at this from the perspective of a U.S. citizen, I’m willing to bet some of those carrying Confederate flags have no real connection to the South.
Given this is Montréal, I’m willing to bet 100% of these clowns have no connection to the US. And, you’re probably right about the co-optation of indigenous symbols.
Great article. Miss you on Twitter. Life is great. Hope you are well.
Merci. I just couldn’t take it anymore, Twitter. All is more or less good.