Protest against anti-Black racism planned for Mississauga
Published June 4, 2020 at 7:08 pm
A protest against anti-Black racism and in support of requiring body cameras for Peel Regional Police officers is slated to take place on Sunday, June 7 in Mississauga.
According to a recent Instagram post by @mississaugamarch, the peaceful march will kick off at Celebration Square at 12:00 pm.
“The purpose of this social demonstration is to advocate for the use of body cameras on all Peel police officers while voicing the injustices of Peel police towards people of colour and minority groups in our community,” the post reads.
The planned demonstration comes after days of protests in Canada and the United States in response to the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man who died in Minneapolis after a white officer held his knee on his neck for up to nine minutes.
On May 30, thousands of people also came together in Toronto to protest anti-Black racism and demand answers in the death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, a 29-year-old Black woman who fell from her 24th-storey balcony while police were in her apartment.
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The Special Investigations Unit is currently investigating Korchinski-Paquet’s death.
The planned Mississauga rally was announced hours after Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie revealed that she, along with Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, is pushing for Peel police officers to wear bodycams in a bid to increase transparency among the region’s police service.
A Mississauga resident has also created a change.org petition calling for bodycams for all Peel police officers.
At a June 3 press conference, Crombie announced that she and Brown plan to move a motion to explore the use of body cameras at the June 26 Peel Police Service Board meeting.
Crombie said that Peel police Chief Nishan Duraiappah supports the move.
“This will increase transparency and trust. They will not fix all problems, but they’re one tool that can help fight systemic racism,” Crombie said.
On June 2, Duraiappah addressed Floyd’s death and systemic racism in a letter posted on social media.
“As the profoundly troubling events in the United States continue to unfold, we acknowledge that anti-Black racism exists in Canda as well. The death of George Floyd is both a disturbing crime and truly heartbreaking, and it has shaken all of us at Peel Regional Police,” Duraiappah wrote.
“Accountability is my personal commitment to all of you, and it must continue to be the cornerstone of ethical policing. The difficult conversations that follow in these trying times are necessary. Systemic change, and our commitment to community safety and well-being, can only be achieved through sincere engagement with our communities and by being fully transparent to those we serve.”
The event post asks attendees to wear masks and practice physical distancing. Protesters are also encouraged to bring signs and ensure they have their own drinking water.
“This is a peaceful protest,” the post reads.
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