‘Unity is power:’ Hundreds rally against anti-Black racism in Hamilton

We all bleed the same. My skin is not a target. Hands up, don't shoot. Silence equals violence. Black lives matter.

Those rallying calls rang through the streets of Hamilton Saturday afternoon as groups in the city once again called for an end to anti-Black racism.

Two equally sized protests - one beginning at Dundurn Park, the other at Gore Park - eventually convened at the city hall forecourt, creating a sea of 600-plus fists and signs raised in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.

Jesse Kelly, one of the many leading chants for the crowd, said he was incredibly proud" to see so many people turn up for the occasion.

Unity is power, diversity is strength," said Kelly, a grandson of the late Ellison Kelly, a Tiger-Cat Hall of Famer and former teacher in the Hamilton school system. White or black, gay or straight. Here we stand with our fists up, united."

Saturday's rallies marked the fourth and fifth held in the city over the last number of weeks. Thousands of Hamiltonians also marched in support of Black organizations on Friday afternoon.

The demonstrations were among many held in the United States and Canada, following the death of George Floyd, who suffocated died after a police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes in Minneapolis, and Regis Korchinski-Paquet, who died after falling from her Toronto highrise balcony in the presence of police officers.

Korchinski-Paquet's death is under investigation by the province's Special Investigations Unit while Floyd's death has sparked widespread protests across the U.S. and much of the world.

At both protests in Hamilton, demonstrators kept moments of silence, took a knee in honour of those who have died in the presence or custody of police, then listened to spoken word performances and speeches.

Amani Williams, organizer of the Dundurn Park rally, told the stories of Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and Breonna Taylor in the U.S., and D'Andre Campbell and Chantel Moore in Canada, all of whom died during interactions with police officers.

As Williams held up their photos, chants of shame" echoed through the downtown.

Nathan Tharontakste Muir and his partner Dylan Wulf also took to the stage to read out the names of Indigenous folks including Rodney Levi, Moore, Korchinski-Paquet, Stewart Kevin Andrews, Eishia Hudson and Jason Collins, all of whom died during interactions with police this year.

To the police of Canada, we hold you accountable," said Muir.

Wulf also drew attention to the missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada, to which the crowd joined in chanting no more stolen sisters."

Police were noticeably present at both rallies, including officers on horseback or bicycles. Both rallies this weekend remained peaceful. Most attendees wore face masks, some of which were provided by organizers who also offered hand sanitizer.

Passing vehicles could be heard honking in support, and a beagle donning a Black Lives Matter sign could be heard howling as the crowd chanted.

Dayna Robinson said she came out to the rally in support of her four-year-old son, Samuel Uday-Robinson.

As a mother, she fears her son could be a victim of police violence when he grows up.

I fear him leaving to do anything when he's older and never coming back," Robinson said. It's just unfair."

She said the fight for equality and justice for Black people has been a fight that has gone on for too long."

Shantel Binns travelled from Brantford to show solidarity and add her voice to the message.

People need to recognize that racism is everywhere, it's not just in my own community," said Binns, who was part of a group that organized a Black Lives Matter march in Brantford on Thursday. It's the same message and it applies to every community, not just my own city."

Zora Aikman came to rally to be a voice for her father, who immigrated to Canada from Jamaica. Aikman said her father suffered anti-Black racism at the hands of police and saw many of his friends die from gun violence in Toronto.

I just feel like it's my part to say something or do something, especially for him," Aikman said. He didn't get the opportunity to speak out, so I feel like it's my turn. I need to."

Aikman led chants of no justice, no peace" in Gore Park, her voice carrying over the rest of the 350-plus crowd.

It's about being loud and being present," she said.

Younger than most in the crowd, Jazmine Wall-Gordon's voice peaked above the crowd when others grew quiet. The 15-year-old said the more people speak out against anti-Black racism, the more that they will notice us."

It's important to keep going so they can hear us, so they can finally change what they're doing," Wall-Gordon said.

She hoped the sustained number of protests and marches in Hamilton would bring change and equal rights for Black Canadians.

We don't deserve to suffer the way that we are. We should all be treated equally," she said.

Fallon Hewitt is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: fhewitt@thespec.com