Sudbury has been called once again to march in protest of racism and racial injustice through its downtown core, but this time on June 19, otherwise known as Juneteenth.
Black Lives Matter: Racial Injustice Rally is the third demonstration held in the Nickel City to raise awareness for the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and its motivations of recognizing and eliminating racism, racial injustice, and police brutality.
It’s one of many such protests that have taken place across the globe since 46-year-old George Floyd was killed May 25 during an arrest by Minneapolis Police after he allegedly used a counterfeit bill.
The traditionally American holiday of Juneteenth commemorates the date in 1865 when slaves living in Galveston, Texas were informed by Union Gen. Gordon Granger that the civil war had ended, and they were free. The announcement instituted the Emancipation Proclamation issued by American President Abraham Lincoln more than two years prior, on Jan. 1, 1863.
While perhaps not as commonly known here in Canada, Liam Cousineau said he and his co-organizers chose the date because of its connection to the BLM movement.
Support for this movement extends beyond the borders of a nation, and across an ethnicity, he went on to explain.
“I see Black people from all nationalities and look at them like my brothers and sisters,” said the 20-year-old activist.
He is joined in the organizing committee by a group diverse in ethnicity, religion, and ages ranging from that of high school students to leaders in Sudbury’s professional community. There is no strict hierarchy of leadership, however, to protect those responsible for any fines resulting from the protest, said Cousineau.
This variance in lived experience has meant that not everyone in the group has the same idea about how to resolve the issues of and related to racism, racial injustice, and police brutality, he said, but what they are united on, is the need for awareness and education.
Friday’s protest is to be held with the purpose of bringing awareness to the BLM movement, education on Juneteenth, and to share personal experiences on the topic of racial injustice, including and beyond that of Sudbury’s Black community members.
Among the speakers is TiCarra Paquet, co-organizer alongside Cousineau, who’s connected to two Canadians recently killed in relation to police intervention.
On May 27, her 29-year-old cousin, Regis Kotchinski-Paquet, died after falling from her 24th-floor balcony in Toronto while police were in her home responding to a call about a domestic dispute.
A little more than two weeks later, on June 12, Rodney Levi, a man who lives on her home reserve, Metepenagiag (Red Bank) Mi’kmaq First Nation, was shot twice by a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and died.
The RCMP has allegedly been called to remove him from a barbecue where he was no longer welcome.
“A lot of people say police brutality doesn’t happen in Canada - well it is,” Paquet said. “I have two individuals closely linked to me, and I live in Sudbury. This is happening and people need to be more aware of what’s going on instead of just discrediting it.”
For this reason, the fight for justice, equality and inclusivity remain her top priority and that of many others, she said, even given the health crisis our world is currently facing.
“COVID-19 - it’s been a pandemic for a couple months, and I do generally think it's real and legitimate - I'm not trying to say it's not a real thing - however, racism has been here for centuries and it still hasn’t had any sort of vaccine,” she said.
“It comes to the point where in spite of certain conditions we are exposed to, it’s become intolerable. In spite of COVID or other obstacles, it just has to stop, so this is at the forefront for me and a lot of people.”
Sudbury had the opportunity to collectively mourn and champion justice for Regis in an anti-brutality protest held in Memorial Park on June 3, an event Paquet said was met with a mostly positive response.
It was truthfully a very heartwarming and emotional experience for her, she said, not only because of the surprising amount of support but in coming to the realization that the passing of her cousin could bring positive change.
“You can’t hate anyone because of what they think, because then we’re doing exactly what we’re fighting against,” she said.
“The best I can do is try to educate people and try to help them out and show them that what we’re doing is trying to promote the basic values that Canada tries to portray - multiculturalism, being an inclusive society, diversity.
“We’re all so proud of being a part of Canada, so let’s just try and reinforce those values that we try and portray.”
With that in mind, Paquet said it was never her intention to host a one-and-done memorial. Until there is change, she expects there will continue to be protests, whether she is involved or not.
“For us, I don’t think we’re going to stop until we see justice until we see change and reform in the criminal justice system, or just an acknowledgment that this is happening and they’re going to do our best to change it,” Paquet said.
Opinions on how the rally’s organizing committee can assist in this change vary within the group, said both Cousineau and Paquet. One goal that has been addressed, however, is to collaborate with the Greater Sudbury Police Service and its leadership.
Cousineau said the group also plans to host several events in the future, to bring awareness to the experiences of those in Sudbury’s diverse communities and the issues relevant to them. He hopes to collaborate with established organizations for these moving forward, to ensure appropriate representation by those most directly impacted.
“We wanted to make sure it wasn’t just a quick incline of social media trends, one quick protest in Sudbury and then it’s over. This is something that we want to continue going into the future,” he said.
Black Lives Matter: Racial Injustice Rally is set to take place starting at 1 p.m. on June 19 at Bell Park, on the grass between Paris Street and the Grace Hartman Amphitheatre. It will begin with one hour of speeches, followed by an open-mic opportunity for anyone to speak, and a walk from the park to the Bridge of Nations assisted by crowd marshalls.
Those looking to attend are encouraged to wear a mask and socially distance themselves from others where possible. There will be no seating available but participants are more than welcome to bring chairs, keeping in mind that organizers are not liable for any property damage.
FInd more information on this demonstration on the SURJ - Sudbury Facebook page.