Trudeau takes a knee at anti-racism protest

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau knelt on the ground as part of a crowd gathered on Parliament Hill Friday afternoon, in solidarity with anti-racism demonstrators protesting police killings of black people.

The demonstration was one of multiple events in Canada, following days of demonstrations against racism and police brutality in numerous American cities.

Trudeau had declined to say earlier Friday whether he would attend, but arrived on Parliament Hill in mid-afternoon with security guards, wearing a black cloth mask.

Some in the crowd shouted at him to stand up to U. S. President Donald Trump.

The Ottawa event was organized by No Peace Until Justice, formed by a young black woman. The goal was to bring together black activists and organizations and allies to stand in solidarity against police brutality and societal racism.

Trudeau clapped and nodded in response to many of the things said by speakers at the front of the crowd, including one who said there is no middle ground on the issue.

“You are either a racist or an anti- racist,” the speaker said.

Trudeau gave a similar response when the people starting chanting: “Black lives matter.”

He did not speak and left as others began leaving Parliament Hill to start marching through the capital.

The demonstrations followed protests across the U.S. after a video showed a white Minneapolis officer kneeling on the neck of a black man, George Floyd, for nearly nine minutes, even as he pleaded that he couldn’t breathe.

Floyd fell still and died, the officer’s knee still on him.

At one point, the crowd in Ottawa went silent for the time Floyd was held down. Trudeau put one knee to the ground, his head bowed, as others also took a knee around him.

In Toronto, as officers generally kept a low profile, more than 1,000 people walked peacefully in blazing sunshine chanting, “I can’t breathe,” “No justice, no peace,” or “Hands up, don’t shoot.” .

Reports and video of problematic police encounters with minorities in Canada have also surfaced recently.

“We’re fed up. We need change and we do not trust police,” said one protester, John Coleman. “Black lives really matter.”

Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders and other uniformed officers met a group of protesters, then Saunders removed his hat, and took a knee at a downtown intersection near police headquarters.

“We see you and we are listening,” Saunders, who is black, tweeted after the meeting. “We have to all stay in this together to make change.”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford praised Saunders’ action, calling it “true leadership.”