TORONTO -- About 200 people marched to Toronto City Hall on Tuesday evening to call for an end to anti-Black racism and to hold a candlelight vigil in honour of lives lost in incidents of police brutality.
The “We Stand” march began around 6 p.m. near Yonge and Bloor streets before moving towards Nathan Phillips Square. Participants holding signs that said “Black Lives Matter” and “My Skin is Not a Crime” then gathered in a circle while someone played a rendition of “Amazing Grace.”
“We are here to give our voice for institutional change, reform, to speak up against the violence that is happening and to be an example to our younger future that this cannot continue,” Kaylah Zarger said on Tuesday while outside of Toronto City Hall. “We are here to honour the lives who have passed.”
Another participant said that while many people believe there is no systematic racism in Canada, it’s something the Black community faces every day.
“There are stories everywhere. Social media has been doing a great job at plastering all these stories, not just of things that are happening in the States but things that are happening here in Toronto.”
The “We Stand” march follows a weekend in which thousands of people flooded the streets of downtown Toronto in peaceful protest against anti-Black racism, prompting politicians and members of the police force to take a knee in solidarity.
The protests were sparked by the death of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed in Minneapolis after an officer placed his knee against his neck for nearly nine minutes.
Floyd’s funeral was held hours before the protest in Toronto took place on Tuesday and was attended by more than 500 people.
Over the last two weeks, numerous protests have been held across North America. In many cities, including Toronto, the demonstrations have led to debate over the dismantling or funding of police departments.
The organizer of Toronto’s protest on Tuesday said they decided to march in the evening in part because of the curfews put in place in the United States.
“We decided to make our protest at 6 p.m. to fill in that gap of time where they are not allowed to do so. We wanted to stand in solidarity with those facing discrimination in the states but also here in Canada.”
“We are making changes,” another protester said. “I have been living my life having to be scared of police and having to be scared of certain things just because of my skin colour. This has been going on for years and I’m glad we are doing something today.”
