Jordan Peterson Draws Counter-Protests in Victoria

No less than two protests erupted over Jordan Peterson’s lecture at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.

At the Centre itself, dozens of trans and queer rights supporters arrived as early as 6PM, an hour and a half before the event proper, and covered the pavement written with chalk messages, either in support of sexual identity and orientation or in condemnation of Peterson’s more controversial comments on the topic.

Although police was notably absent, private security at the entrance was very tight. Attendees even had to submit to metal detector sweeps. Judging from the character of the crowd rallied in protest, I would say these measures were outright paranoid; I can hardly imagine anyone present trying to assault him.

While the crowd was significant, protesters were rapidly outnumbered by hundreds of supporters lining up to attend the event. Peterson seems to be very popular in spite of the many incendiary comments he made. It is said he can get away with mixing toxic masculinity along with self-help because he can wrap it all up with scholastic arguments propped by his academic credentials and deliver it with a silken tongue, which makes his speeches a pernicious vehicle for right-wing propaganda he seemingly repudiates.

Meanwhile another counter-protest took place at the University of Victoria‘s David Lam auditorium; this latter event I did not attend because it started at about the same time at the other end of town (bear with me, I’m on foot). The event is organised by the Victoria Healthy Masculinity Collective and features multiple speakers, among which Dr. Simon Glezos, political science teacher at the university. Its GoFundMe campaign had nearly reached its goal of 2000$ by the time of the event.