Several dozen people gathered on Saturday at Place du Capitole to contest the prefecture’s decision on the possible cancellation in the city center of the Pride March, on Saturday, October 9 in the streets of Toulouse. This parade scheduled for June was reported due to a pandemic. “Following this announcement, we launched a petition,” explains Jérémy Perrard, director of Pride Toulouse. We have already collected more than 1,700 signatures, associations and political figures such as Nadia Pellefigue, vice-president of the Region or Alice Coffin, activist and elected ecologist at the Council of Paris ”.
For fear of problems that day, the prefecture asked the collective to move this Pride March to the periphery: “It’s nonsense, protests Thierry Grandclément, president of Pride Toulouse. Where would be the visibility of this march then? “.
For the collective, this cancellation would be a “first” in the history of this movement in place for more than twenty-five years in the Pink City. This event, both protesting and festive on LGBT + rights, brings together more than 4,000 people each year in the streets of downtown Toulouse. Very organized and secure, it has never contained or violence.

Alternative routes offered but refused

The Prefecture of the Occitanie region explains: “All the discussions that took place with the organizers had the sole objective of finding the best solution to maintain this important event in maximum conditions. As a reminder, every Saturday, undeclared demonstrations take place on the boulevards, giving rise to recurring disturbances to public order on part of the route taken by the Pride March. Given this concomitance and in order to collectively ensure the safety of those who will participate, as well as that of Toulouse, the prefecture has several alternative routes offered in the city center refused by the organizers. In any case, the will of the prefecture remains, of course, to facilitate the smooth running of this march ”.
In case of cancellation, if the collective will comply with the decision of the prefecture but could initiate actions.