A ban on the Pride flag has once again been denied by the Niagara Catholic District School Board trustees.
But not before police were called in to bring order to last nights board meeting.
Niagara Regional Police were called in after a group of people started shouting over the speaker and one person refused to stop filming the meeting.
Trustees voted down the motion that would have banned the flag from flying outside school board properties.
Click HERE to listen to Board Chair Danny Di Lorenzo discuss the meeting on Niagara in the Morning.
St. Catharines and Niagara-on-the-Lake trustee Natalia Benoit brought forward the motion.
She was suspended for five months earlier this year after comparing the Pride flag to the Nazi flag.
Benoit brought forward a similar motion in May of 2023 that was also defeated.
Here are the video links for the meeting.
Here is the full statement from the Niagara Catholic District School Board.
"Last night, the Niagara Catholic District School Board’s Board of Trustees held a vote on a motion introduced by Trustee Benoit at the September 24 Board Meeting, “That the Niagara Catholic District School Board amend its Flag Flying Protocol to specify that the Pride Flag shall not be flown on school properties or district offices.”
Approximately 100 people attended the meeting, most of them in support of Trustee Benoit’s motion.
Two delegations were approved to speak: Jennifer MacArthur, President of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association’s Niagara Elementary Unit, and Suzanne Taras, a Niagara Catholic parent and ratepayer.
Visitors in the gallery were asked to respect rules of decorum while speakers presented, including allowing speakers to speak uninterrupted, and not videoing the presentations, as a recording of all meeting livestreams are posted on the Board website the next day.
During Ms. MacArthur’s presentation, one individual was repeatedly asked to stop filming, but continued to. He was asked to leave but refused. The individual became belligerent, continued filming, used profanity, and entered the chamber. Other members of the gallery began jeering Ms. MacArthur, trustees, and staff. As result of the chaos, a recess was called to clear the gallery and move staff and trustees in attendance to secure location and Niagara Regional Police were called.
Officers arrived a short time later and began removing individuals from the Board Room, the foyer of the Catholic Education Centre, and the chapel. The meeting resumed with an empty gallery at approximately 7:30 p.m. and the livestream continued. Ms. MacArthur completed her remarks and Mrs. Taras gave hers. Following their presentations, both delegations left, and the meeting continued without further incident.
Trustee Benoit’s motion was introduced, debated, and ultimately defeated by a 5-2 recorded vote. Both student trustees also voted against the motion, with non-binding votes. Chair Danny Di Lorenzo, Vice-Chair Rhianon Burkholder, and trustees Larry Huibers, Jim Marino, and Paul Turner voted against the motion, as did the student trustees. Trustees Natalia Benoit and Joe Bruzzese supported the motion.
The Chair and Board of Trustees thank and appreciate the Niagara Catholic Facilities Services staff in attendance at the meeting who supported the security guards and the Niagara Regional Police for ensuring everyone’s safety and well-being.
The trustees also thank those in the gallery who came to witness local democracy in action and were peaceful and respectful throughout the proceedings."