Anti-SOGI speaker singing an acoustic song about protecting children.

(JESSE TOMAS / iNFOnews.ca)

The so-called 1 Million March 4 Children held a second of rallies at some cities and towns across the country today including hundreds facing off about the issue across from Kelowna’s city hall.

Roughly 100 people came to the rally against sexual orientation and gender identity education — known as SOGI. But not far away were roughly 150 LGBTQ rights activists. At one point, one side was reading bible verses while the other side danced to Lady Gaga just a few meters away.

The rally was mostly peaceful. RCMP officers on standby broke up a brief shoving match before it had a chance to escalate. One speaker said SOGI educators should be jailed and should, “have a chain around their neck and drown in the sea, but no one is advocating violence.”

Anti-SOGI protester holding up a sign in front of a trans-rights activist holding up a flag.

(JESSE TOMAS / iNFOnews.ca)

Some of the parents against SOGI education spoke about parents’ responsibility for their children, a desire to bring back Christianity in schools as well as reading bible verses through subwoofers. Their complaint generally surrounds their belief that schools teach children about gender identity. School officials, teachers, students and others have repeatedly said that is not true and they are confusing a province-wide SOGI policy for schools and educators to be welcoming and accepting of every student as they wish to be.

Trans-rights activists nearly drowned out the anti-SOGI speakers with their chants, “no space for hate,” and “trans-rights are human rights, Queen and Lady Gaga songs from bluetooth speakers.

READ MORE: 'No place for hate': Anti-LGBTQ+ protesters met with vocal counter demonstrators in Kelowna, Kamloops

Some anti-SOGI speakers reiterated their support for the gay people in their lives, and said their position was not hateful or homophobic.

Stairs in Stuart Park decorated with chalk messages about protecting transgender youth.

(JESSE TOMAS / iNFOnews.ca)

READ MORE: More anti-SOGI rallies planned for Okanagan tomorrow

Some Marchers called for parents to pull their kids out of school, bring back the Lord’s prayer every morning.

Anti-SOGI speaker waiting for the trans-rights chanting to quiet down so he could speak. The chants never quieted but he spoke anyways.

(JESSE TOMAS / iNFOnews.ca)

Read more about SOGI education in British Columbia here.

Read about the 1 Million March 4 Children here.

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