In a recent incident that garnered widespread attention, an anti-LGBTQ+ protestor engaged in a high-speed chase with the British Columbia Highway Patrol in suburban Vancouver, leading to a dramatic tractor rollover. The incident occurred during a “Stop SOGI-123 Road Rally,” organized by Bill Shoker, a resident of Chilliwack. Shoker’s protest aimed to challenge the province’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI-123) curriculum, implemented in public schools to promote LGBTQ+ inclusivity.
During the protest, BC Highway Patrol attempted to stop Shoker, but the situation escalated when the tractor struck a police vehicle. Video footage captured the tractor repeatedly colliding with a BC Highway Patrol vehicle on Highway 15 in Surrey, culminating in a heart-stopping rollover attempt as Shoker aimed to exit onto Highway 1.
The Investigation and Arrest
Following the tractor’s flip, Shoker was ejected from the sunroof and subsequently arrested by the police. He was then transported to the hospital due to his injuries. Shoker’s wife, Manjit, informed Global News that her husband awaited surgery and may have sustained a broken backbone. This incident sheds light on the growing frequency and intensity of protests against the SOGI-123 curriculum, particularly among an extremist coalition that has emerged from anti-vaccination and anti-lockdown movements.
Clash Over Curriculum and Recall Campaign
While the SOGI-123 curriculum has been in place for several years, protests against it have surged in recent times. These protests often involve clashes between those opposing LGBTQ+ inclusivity in schools and counter-protesters advocating for it. Notably, anti-SOGI protesters initiated a recall campaign against BC Education Minister Rachna Singh earlier this week. To succeed, the campaign must collect signatures from 40% of registered voters in her district by January 29 for a recall election to be held. Notably, British Columbia has never witnessed a successful recall campaign.
Amrit Birring, a spokesperson for the recall campaign, expressed concerns about the SOGI-123 curriculum, stating, “SOGI-123…[is] on the surface there to keep everyone inclusive and safe. But we believe it’s a Trojan Horse. Its real agenda is to indoctrinate straight children, to put ideas in their mind that they may not be male or female, they might be somewhere in the middle.” The clash over the curriculum and its implications for LGBTQ+ inclusivity in schools continues to be a contentious issue in British Columbia.