A Black Lives Matter Peace March is being organized to take place this Saturday, June 13 in the community of Wells.
“With everything that’s going on in the world it’s come into focus more that there is, in fact, racism in rural British Columbia, much like in all of B.C. and North America,” said one of the event’s organizers, Poppy Anders, who is putting on the event alongside fellow Wells resident Oryanna Ross.
“People are invited to just come out to march in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as for Indigenous rights.”
She said the idea to host a peaceful march had been tossed around in the community since the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, Minn. late last month.
READ MORE: Williams Lake teens organize protest in support of Black Lives Matter
“We were like: ‘let’s make it happen,’ and the community response so far has been positive, which is super nice,” she said.
To date roughly 30 people have already indicated they will be taking part.
“It’s for community members to show solidarity who are looking to challenge racism, even in our own community and show support for the movement sweeping across North America,” she said.
The Black Lives Matter Peace March will take place on Saturday, June 13 beginning at the Wells Community Hall at 5:30 p.m.
“We’ll do a route and walk in the peaceful march, then have some conversation and dialogue after, and a space for conversation. We just want to do our part.”
A peaceful protest is also being organized in Quesnel in front of the provincial government building on Barlow Avenue from 3 to 5 p.m. on Friday, June 12. That rally is being organized by Indigenous teen Desiray Turrell.
On Friday, June 5 a large, peaceful march was organized by Grade 12 student Rea Klar in Williams Lake that saw upwards of 120 people participate.
greg.sabatino@wltribune.com
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