In Châteauguay on Saturday, June 6th, some 300 people protested peacefully in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement along D’Anjou Boulevard the Saint-Joseph intersection.
Translation courtesy Amanda Bennett
This movement began in the United States and has recently grown following the death of American George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police on May 25th.
The Châteauguay crowd was mainly composed of young people chanting slogans such as “Black lives matter” and “I can’t breathe”. On many occasions, protesters took a knee, a symbolic gesture to fight police violence against African Americans. Others were stretched out on the ground as George Floyd was before dying pursuant to his arrest.
Many cars passing through the area honked in support of their cause. Traffic lanes were not obstructed other than during pedestrian crossings.
“There is finally solidarity among communities. It’s not only black people. There are white people, latinos, Kahnawake is also here to support us. We need to seize this occasion to spread awareness about our cause”, explained Jean-Claude Mugaba. A Châteauguay resident for 16 years, he said that he has been intercepted by Châteauguay police without valid reason on many occasions. He was very happy to see this movement in his municipality. “Honestly, I have rarely been so proud of being a Châteauguay resident”, he commented.
Huge native flags were visible among the many posters. “Most minorities are affected by police violence and all that. We just want to show that we are in solidarity especially for the young kids who came here and organized this. We want to help our neighbours here in Châteauguay”, explained Derek Delaronde, of Kahnawake. He also said he was present to ensure protesters did not get out of hand.
Many adults who attended the protest told the Soleil de Châteauguay that they were proud to see that the younger generation is involved with this anti-racism movement.
“We don’t want racism in our society. That’s why I’m supporting young people. They are standing up and it’s the start of a beginning. All humans are equal,’ stated a Châteauguay resident who attended with his sign “Well done kids. Thrilled to see you united against this virus that is racism.”
