Hundreds of protesters in Iqaluit gathered to express their frustration with police brutality and racism on June 5.
The peaceful protest began with Iqalummuit holding signs and chanting in a circle at the downtown, Four Corners intersection around 11:45 a.m. A mosaic of voices from children to adults of various ethnicities chanted for some time in unison, SA国际影视传媒淣o justice, no peace! Black lives matter!SA国际影视传媒�
Following the protestSA国际影视传媒檚 organizers, members of the public kneeled down and then chanted repetitively, SA国际影视传媒淭ake your knee off our necks!SA国际影视传媒�
With every chant the voices grew louder, until eventually they were led to a moment of silence of eight minutes and 46 seconds. As quiet filled the downtown streets of NunavutSA国际影视传媒檚 capital, some protesters lay down, a few stood, while the majority kneeled down.
One of the protest organizers, Murielle Jassinthe, explained the silence was to remember George Floyd and SA国际影视传媒渉ow it feels to fight for your life for eight minutes and 46 seconds.SA国际影视传媒�
George Floyd, a 46 year-old African-American, was killed in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020. He died after police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes.
Following the silence, the protesters marched towards the headquarters. In an orderly and peaceful fashion, protesters, some wearing masks due to Covid-19 and holding signs, slowly walked behind a large banner reading, SA国际影视传媒淏lack Lives Matter.SA国际影视传媒�
In attendance were a few members of the city council, MLAs and police officers, including SA国际影视传媒檚 Chief Superintendent Amanda Jones.
Before arriving to the final destination, protester Clayton Greaves stopped in front of the Legislative Building to speak to the leaders of Nunavut.
SA国际影视传媒淢any of us live in fear of speaking out, so we endure. Privately, we are in tears. We are broken and weSA国际影视传媒檙e bleeding,SA国际影视传媒� said Greaves.
SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e calling on each MLA, each leader in this territory to hear the voice of your citizens,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
Protesters then walked across the street to the headquarters and once again gathered in a circle.
Some kneeled while others stood as various members of the community shared their experiences with racism and expressed their desire for to end racial profiling. The protesters demanded the pursue policing reforms that ensure public safety and limits risk of police violence.
Nine-year-old Lesedi Mokoena tearfully spoke about her experiences with racism.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e been pushed because I am black,SA国际影视传媒� said Mokoena.
An Inuk protester, Jukipa Kuutiq, who spoke up against the police brutality among Inuit communities, was very touched by MokoenaSA国际影视传媒檚 speech.
Kuutiq said she knows racism exists in Nunavut. SA国际影视传媒淎s an Inuk, itSA国际影视传媒檚 my responsibility to ensure that itSA国际影视传媒檚 no longer persistent.SA国际影视传媒�
The protest, organized by Nunavut Black History Society along with community members, lasted around one and half hours.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檇 like to see that momentum that we had here today, that energy, that connection with community SA国际影视传媒� moving forward,SA国际影视传媒� said Kuutiq.
