The Siksika First Country abruptly called off a prepared solidarity walk Monday following a employee on the southern Alberta reserve examined constructive for COVID-19.

Cars ended up lined up and ready for the day of solidarity with the ongoing Black Lives Subject movement when Siksika Main Ouray Crowfoot claimed he gained a telephone call.

The employee does not reside on the Siksika Initially Nation but may perhaps have appear into get in touch with with users, he reported. Out of an abundance of caution, absolutely everyone in the employee’s office constructing will be examined for the novel coronavirus.

The march was postponed, as well.

“We’ve been by means of a whole lot in this article in Siksika, but you know, we are a resilient people,” Crowfoot claimed. “We have triumph over a good deal and will conquer this pandemic.”

The solidarity march was not really worth risking basic safety, Crowfoot stated, adding that quite a few contributors would have been aged members of the country.

The country has had no COVID-19 circumstances between its membership so much.

But if the pandemic does reach the country, leaders have set up momentary housing to aid quarantine.

“There is a lot of unknowns and the unfamiliar is what is terrifying, ” Crowfoot stated.

‘There will come a time when you say, that is enough’

Both Crowfoot and elder Butch Wolfleg, who structured the Siksika Solidarity Day, reported they want to see the march go in advance an additional day.

Wolfleg claimed it is significant men and women know that Siksika Country stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Subject motion, even if the rally was postponed. 

He explained his group has dealt with police brutality and systemic racism for a very long time, and that’s prompted Siksika to be mindful when interacting with neighbouring white communities.

“It can get really risky at situations and so we’ve just acquired to dwell with it,” Wolfleg reported. “But there arrives a time when you say, which is sufficient.”

Elder Butch Wolfleg arranged the solidarity rally that was cancelled. He claims he hopes his grandchildren can are living in a world wherever they switch to the law enforcement for support. (Mike Symington/CBC)

He mentioned he’s been inspired to see the range of people having portion in the ongoing protests across the United States and Canada.

He claimed Indigenous and Black folks have prolonged protested and spoken up about systemic racism and law enforcement brutality but with out “backing from the white populace.”

“I’m genuinely thankful for the messages that are remaining supplied out there, specially from the white people today who are responding to this,” Wolfleg stated. “They’re saying, we have to have to take a look at ourselves, we need to be conscious and commence to improve our behaviour.”

He reported his hope is that his grandchildren will 1 day see a police officer as a person to transform to for protection, that they are going to interact with white people today “without having obtaining feelings of currently being a lot less than,” and will have electricity to make alter.

Crowfoot explained he was also concerned about Alberta’s Monthly bill 1, which would end rail blockade protesters in the province.

Throughout Alberta, countless numbers have marched around the previous week to protest law enforcement brutality and systemic racism.

On Monday, Alberta prosecutors charged two police officers with criminal carelessness in a fatal 2018 taking pictures.

The Crown’s office is also investigating an arrest in August 2019 when a police officer drove his knee into a handcuffed man’s higher again. A witness captured the arrest on video clip.

A Calgary woman also has submitted a grievance alleging abnormal use of drive by law enforcement. She has a movie that exhibits two officers holding her to the floor for the duration of an arrest final drop.

In the movie, 1 officer is proven holding a knee to her back or neck as she continuously says, “I cannot breathe.”



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