Justice for Black Lives march planned for Thursday at city hall

A week after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, a march for justice is planned for downtown Barrie on Thursday.

Justice For Black Lives will start at Barrie’s City Hall at 5 p.m. and march down Mulcaster Street, turning onto Simcoe Street and ending at Meridian Place.

Brandon Amyot is assisting with the organization of the event and told BarrieToday why the march was taking place.

“It is to provide a space, specifically for Black community members, to grieve, to mourn and to express any sense of emotion. It is for people to come together in solidarity to call for justice and for action for Black lives in our community, the province, across the country and the world,” said Amyot.

Floyd, 46, died May 25 in Minneapolis, after a police officer arresting him kneeled on his neck for more than seven minutes as Floyd repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe.

His death sparked protests in the U.S. that have been ongoing since Tuesday, May 26 and have since spread across America and across the globe.

Thursday’s event in Barrie is to honour the deaths of Black lives lost. Amyot said that everyone is welcome to the march, regardless of ethnicity. 

“Racialized folks who are not members of the Black community are welcome to come and support and show solidarity,” said Amyot. “White folks in the community should be showing up to show their solidarity but also willing to put themselves on the front line as a barrier between anyone who might try to harm the Black folks in our community who are grieving.”

Amyot said the event is planned to be a peaceful protest but measures are in place as a precaution such as medics and barriers “acting as a buffer between any potential violence or verbal harassment.”

Amyot told BarrieToday that the Barrie Police had reached out to organizers about attending but that the organizers would prefer they did not. 

“We do not wish for them to participate in this. This is not about them in the sense of this is not their place to take up,” said Amyot. 

Barrie Police communications coordinator Peter Leon told BarrieToday that police are “currently working with the organizers to ensure the demonstration that they are planning is peaceful.”

Leon also encouraged participants to “ensure their wellness by utilizing personal protective equipment.”

Thursday’s march starts at 70 Collier St. at 5 p.m. and organizers are asking that everyone wear protective masks to prevent any possible COVID-19 spreading and to maintain a safe two-metre  distance. If you want to donate masks for others, organizers ask that you bring them with you.

To stay updated on any changes, head to the Facebook group here.