Photo by Scott Roblin

By Chris Brown

United voices

Feelings of hope and joy at Medicine Hat Black Lives Matter protest

Jun 5, 2020 | 5:24 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Chants of “No Justice, No Peace” rang through downtown Medicine Hat just after 4 p.m. on Friday during the Black Lives Matter protest in the city.

Protesters said the names of some of those who have died at the hands of racism and police brutality while holding signs with messages such as “Abolish Hate Adopt Love,” “I Can’t Breathe,” “Respect Existence or Expect Resistance” and “Black Lives Matter.”

City Hall plaza was filled with close to 350 people of all ages.

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Protester and speaker Ariish Wol said the demonstration of support in a small community such as Medicine Hat fills her heart with joy and gave her hope that one day there will be change.

“Even Canada is a very small-minded community when it comes to racism and police brutality so knowing that people are starting to open up and to see that they’re all out here to come and support, it means the world to me,” she said.

Wol added the peaceful nature of the protest sends a strong message to younger generations that they can have a voice and support one another while remaining calm.

“We don’t need to be aggressive, we don’t need to be violent, we don’t need to destroy things and damage other people’s property. We can all come together and we can still make a statement.”

Wol simply wants everybody to look at one another as fellow human beings.

“It’s time to stop this racial identifying of people,” she said. “We’re all humans.”

Photo by Colton McKee