Maffeo Sutton Park was filled with hundreds of Black Lives Matter supporters. (Spencer Sterritt/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

black lives matter

Nanaimo represents at peaceful local Black Lives Matter, anti police brutality protest

Jun 5, 2020 | 3:02 PM

NANAIMO – The message “Black Lives Matter” was heard loud and clear in Nanaimo.

Numerous speakers at the event Friday, June 5 in Maffeo Sutton Park had the crowd of hundreds yelling “Black Lives Matter.”

One of the organizers Sonnet L’abbe read out several names of people, both black and Indigenous, who were killed by police. The crowd chanted back the name of the fallen each time.

“The reality is white supremacy and a broken police system that doesn’t serve and protect equally. This is a time to come together and say black lives matter,” she said.

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Dozens of speakers took the stage at the Lion’s Pavilion within the park to share their experience as a black person in Nanaimo and Canada.

Many of the speeches were emotional and tear-filled.

Trev Snell urged everyone at the protest to not let the day be the only day they raised their voice about the issue of racism and police brutality.

“People need to show some type of respect. This is insane what’s going on. If we can’t just figure it out, we need to figure it out with everyone.”

Songs were also sung, including Sam Cooke’s ‘A Change is Going to Come’ and the traditional song ‘We Will Overcome.’

The event was initially to end at 5 p.m. but organizers said so many black people had signed up to speak they would let everyone express themselves.

The protest was held on the 11th day of wider action in America, sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. A white police officer was filmed holding his knee to Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest. The officer has since been charged with second-degree murder.

The Nanaimo event was initially to finish with a march to the Nanaimo RCMP detachment, but organizers changed plans.

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