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More than 2,000 artists signed an open letter in Black Lives Matter – Toronto (BLM – TO), after police attacked and arrested 3 participants in a public art demonstration on Saturday, July 18, 2020.
After the nonviolent intervention founded on art, the detainees were arrested for 17 hours and denied a lawyer for more than five hours. Among the signatories are some of Canada’s most prominent artists: Polaris Music Award winner Lido Pepper and Leslie Feist music; The recipient of the Order of Canada, Joy Kogawa; Governor-General Dionne Brand and Ali Kazimi Award winners; filmmakers Alanis Obomsawin, John Greyson, Audrey Huntley and Jennifer Podemski; Kim Convenience’s TV screen, Jean Yoon; and famous artists Ness Lee, Shary Boyle, Rajni Perrera, Nepsidhu and Kent Monkman.
BLM-TO’s action drew attention to how Canadian society will pay tribute to anti-black racism, anti-indigenity and colonial violence through the statues of Egerton Ryerson, John A. Macdonald and King Edward VII.
In expressing their support, the artists wrote a letter stating, “These monuments honor the legacy of racial violence, segregation and genocide, and that their presence in the public area underscores that the lives and history of blacks and aboriginals are valued in areas that we all share.”
The artists for the removal of those monuments from Toronto’s public squares and condemned the arrest of the protesters.
In addition to supporting Black Lives Matter (blacklivesmatter.ca/defund-the-police) claims, artists ask for:
All rates Jenna Reid, Danielle Smith and Daniel Gooch
Immediate relief from Toronto Police’s existing budget from $1.1 billion to at least 50%
A of monuments celebrating genocide, racism and colonial violence
See the businesswire.com edition: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200729005271/fr/
Contacts
Consultations in Toronto: Tamara Jones, 647-883-2601, [email protected] National/International Consultations: [email protected]