Anti-racism rally organizers say they won’t stop and are planning to hold more protests until their voices are heard.
“Racism and racial profiling are very much alive in our own backyard and too many people are wrapped in a bubble of their own privilege to see it,” said Sarah McKeachnie, one of the upcoming protest organizers. “And the more we get out there, the more we talk, the more people share their stories with their own prejudice they’ve experienced, maybe more people will wake up to it and we will actually fight this together.”
Organized by Kendrick Jeremiah, Kayla Portugie, Sarah McKeachnie and Katherine Elizabeth Génier, the second protest will take place at noon on Friday, June 5, at Participark.
Timmins Police have issued a traffic advisory for the protest to let drivers know traffic flows may be affected in the downtown core.
Depending on the number of participants, police may restrict or stop traffic around city hall between noon and 2 p.m.
Porcupine Health Unit medical officer of health Dr. Lianne Catton has also offered ways to reduce potential exposures to COVID-19 at the demonstrations.
She reminded people to stay six-feet (two metres) apart from people you don't live with and to wear a non-medical mask or face covering. If you are sick or unwell, she said to stay home.
The first rally was held Wednesday, June 3, and was attended by about 100 people. Protesters walked from Participark to city hall where the organizers gave speeches.
"I am so glad that the protest got this much attention. I only thought it was going to be a small thing but seeing the power people really inspires me that we can change everything if we all use our voices for good," Jeremiah said.
McKeachnie said they started off strong yesterday, and are looking to build on that momentum.
Portugie said she didn’t know Jeremiah before the protest but was inspired by him and his mother Vanessa Gènier which prompted her to join the first event and co-organize the second protest with others.
“We’d like to see racism end, to a degree. We know it can’t just completely stop, we understand that,” she said. “But we’d like people to get treated better by other people.”
Organizers said they are hoping for a bigger turnout on Friday. There will be an open forum after the march so that participants can stay for longer and share their experiences with racism or stories of their personal prejudice.
For McKeachnie, the main problem is systemic racism which can be attributed to a lack of education and training, so more accountability and education are needed not only in police services but across the board.
“Right now, our focus is on police because we’ve seen so many cases of police brutality across North America. That’s why our focus is primarily on the police but this is much deeper than this.”
"It's the system that's failing us all. If we build a better system for people of colour, that's going to benefit everyone," she said.
Details around the third rally, scheduled for Sunday, June 7, are still under discussion but organizers are planning to invite a few local hip-hop artists to perform in front of the police station.
McKeachnie said they are hoping to hold rallies at different locations throughout the city to give people without transportation an opportunity to participate.
“We need more than a discussion. It’s time for action and that’s not going to happen if we just bring it up once and then sit down and wait for change.”
Organizers said they understand there’s an ongoing pandemic and are recommending people to wear masks and gloves and to keep the distance from other people.
“We have one active case in Timmins … I think the risks right now are outweighed by the relevance and importance of this movement,” McKeachnie said.
