PROTESTS CALL FOR CHANGE
Local anti-racism events rise up
For almost nine minutes — the same amount of time George Floyd was pinned underneath a white police officer — Calgarians stood silently as Floyd’s final words were read over a loud speaker.
“Don’t kill me,” heard dozens of demonstrators who remained still in a field at Fish Creek Provincial Park during an anti-racism protest on Sunday afternoon. “I can’t breathe.”
Floyd, a black man from Minneapolis, died after officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck during an arrest on May 25. Chauvin has since been fired and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
The incident was caught on camera and has sparked anti-racism demonstrations across the United States and in other countries in recent days.
Social media posts show torched vehicles, vandalism and altercations between protesters and police, who have used tear gas and pepper spray and fired rubber bullets into crowds.
Sunday’s solidarity protest in Calgary, called Rise Up Against Racism, is just one of many planned events over the coming weeks to draw attention to issues of police brutality, racism and unjust deaths.
Attendee Abel Haile, who travelled from Banff for the event, said listening to Floyd’s last words was difficult.
“It’s very hard for me to listen to a grown man, who could have been the age of my dad or older brother, call out for his mom,” he said. “His basic human right was taken from him. The man couldn’t breathe — that’s as simple as it gets. There was a man on the ground that couldn’t breathe.”
Canada is not exempt from issues of racism, and Haile said it’s crucial for people to come together in solidarity, show up to protests and inform others.
In accordance with COVID-19 public health orders, people were asked to maintain their physical distance at the rally and break away into smaller groups so as to not exceed the 50-person outdoor limit. Many wore masks.
Protest organizer Mariette Jessup said she wanted attendees to walk away with a better understanding of racism in Canada, especially directed toward Indigenous communities.
“Our message here today is one message and it’s simple: We (have) to examine our own hearts, then we have to live it in our own homes and then — and just then — we will see things start to change in our world,” Jessup said.
Other speakers included local pastor Greg Smith and anti-racism advocate Jason Devine, who spoke about how Calgarians should not only show solidarity for demonstrators in the U.S. but also understand there’s work to do on the home front.
“First and foremost, we have to educate ourselves on what’s going on. We need to be honest about our history and share information with each other and then get organized,” Devine said.
“This should be a motivator for further action.”
Other anti-racism demonstrations are planned in the city later this week. On Monday, a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest is planned to start at the River Walk Plaza in East Village at 11 a.m.
An event called YYC Justice for All Victims of Police Brutality is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday. Attendees are asked to meet at the 10th Street bridge and then march to city hall for a candlelight vigil.
On Saturday at 4 p.m., another peaceful protest is planned at city hall in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
It will aim to draw attention to the deaths of Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony Mcdade, Ahmaud Arbery and others.
“We must all come together to speak against murders by police officers and the institutions defending them,” the event description said. “We will not stand for these injustices.”
COVID-19 guidelines will be in force and organizers are recommending participants wear masks to protect themselves and others.