Hundreds of Victoria residents gathered in the city’s downtown core for a rally in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States.
Over the past few days, cities across the U.S. as well as in several other countries have seen widespread protests against police brutality that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of innocent Black people in recent years.
These protests were originally sparked after former Minneapolis PD officer Derek Chauvin killed an unarmed Black man, George Floyd, by kneeling on his neck for almost nine minutes.
The movement snowballed over several days after local, state, and federal offices conducted arrests and deployed tear gas, rubber bullets, and mace on peaceful protesters as well as identifiable members of the media.
In Victoria, the demonstration was far more peaceful as hundreds marched from Centennial Square to the BC Legislature grounds carrying signs and slogans representing the Black Lives Matter movement.
Many who showed up to protest, a group largely made up of young people, wore masks and made attempts to maintain physical distancing.
Once at the Legislature, several young people shared their own experiences of racism, and read out the names of Black people who have been killed by police.
This demonstration was followed by a candlelight vigil in memoriam of all Black lives lost to police brutality over the years.
For those who missed it, check out these images of the demonstration from Victoria Buzz photographer Colin Smith.
