Bomb threat prompted Edmonton police presence at Pride parade last weekend
Festival organizers say they weighed cancelling the event entirely but decided fear shouldn't remove pride from the streets.
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A bomb threat received one week before the parade prompted Edmonton Pride organizers to involve police last weekend, they announced Tuesday.
Festival director Trevor Watson said the decision nearly led to cancelling the parade altogether. "Because public safety is our number one priority," he told reporters. "After we spoke with a number of different groups, other pride festivals, we realized that we cannot allow fear to remove pride from our streets."
Edmonton Police Service confirmed it received the threat and investigated it, determining it was not credible. Deputy EPS Chief Nicole Chapdelaine said the finding does not minimize the impact. "When police receive threats, we must take them seriously."
The police involvement sparked backlash. Several 2SLGBTQ+ organizations in the city expressed concerns and some threatened to withdraw from the festivities. Watson apologized to those who felt unwelcome because of the police presence but defended the decision as necessary.
"The very people we were trying to protect should never have been left wondering whether we were protecting them," Watson said. "If our communication failed you, we are sorry. If our words caused you pain, we ask for your forgiveness, and we will learn from it."
Edmonton police's hate crimes unit investigated and laid no charges.
The facts
What prompted Edmonton police to be present at Pride parade on August 24, 2026?
A bomb threat received one week before the parade led Edmonton Pride organizers to involve Edmonton Police Service. The police investigated and determined the threat was not credible.
Did Edmonton Pride nearly cancel the parade?
Yes. Festival director Trevor Watson said the decision to involve police nearly led to cancelling the parade altogether, but organizers decided they could not allow fear to remove pride from the streets.
How did some community groups react to the police presence?
Several 2SLGBTQ+ organizations in Edmonton expressed concerns about the police presence and some threatened to withdraw from the festivities.
