‘No justice, no peace, no racist police’: Thousands join Hamilton Black Friday rally

The words No justice, no peace, no racist police" rang in the streets of Hamilton Friday afternoon as thousands marched in a rally in support of Black organizations in the city.

From the front of the march, Shaneka Keslow's voice was one of the loudest, relentlessly chiming in when other voices waned.

We kind of have to be loud. We don't really have the option not to be," she said. The tides are kind of changing now, so we can do something. We couldn't help Eric Garner, and we couldn't help George Floyd, but we can do our small part from wherever we are to try and change it."

The Black Friday rally began outside Hamilton city hall at 4 p.m., followed by a solidarity march from Bay Street to Dundurn Street North.

People raised signs, fists and voices in solidarity with global movement Black Lives Matter.

We are here highlighting the deep-rooted anti-Black racism that is also here in Canada. It's not just an issue across the U.S. border," Leo Nupolu Johnson, a 2019 United Nations fellow and the rally's organizer, told The Spectator.

But, more importantly, we also know that there are friends and allies in this community that have continued to work with our community to find solutions and bring about change on these issues."

Johnson said community support has been overwhelmingly positive." Organizers estimate upwards of 2,000 people joined Hamilton's Black organizations at Friday's rally.

People have reached out from all walks of life to see what they can do," Johnson said. This rally was in response to the overwhelming reach out we've received from allies and friends in the community asking us what can we do? How can we support? How can we stand in solidarity? Because we may not necessarily know the most effective way instead of taking this cause on individually."

Don McLean, 72, has lived in Hamilton for more than 40 years. He joined the march bearing one of the many homemade sign reading fund people not police."

We all have to stand up against racism. It's a systemic problem. It's deeply embedded in our society," he said. This is a moment in history, and there's a powerful movement to help to dislodge it."

Hamilton organizations, such as Hamilton Black History Council, Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion, McMaster Medicine Students Council and the Arkells supported the rally.

Among the speakers at the event was Dr. Bonny Ibhawoh, a history professor at McMaster University.

Canada has been a voice for human rights around the world," he said. Are we going to be the champions for human rights for our own citizens?"

Kate McCullough is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: kmccullough@thespec.com

Saturday Black Lives Matter rallies and marches

Gore Park rally, 1 to 5 p.m.

Dundurn Park march, 2 p.m.

Memorial Park in Waterdown march, 2 p.m.