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A group of activists staged a peaceful demonstration in Toronto on Sunday, in solidarity with community members in British Columbia’s Wet’suwet’en indigenous community.
Nearly 80 protesters gathered at Nathan Phillips Square around 9 a.m. A group of about 30 lingered by the Maple Leaf statue, chanting “Let them live!” during the day and hanging a large “F—” sign nearby.
Ramesh Goodwai, a pro-wetsuwet’en activist, said the demonstration was the first in a series planned by people across Canada in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en leaders. He called Sunday’s gathering an example of how the country was divided over the issues.
“A lot of people are upset,” Goodwai said. “And a lot of people feel very alienated from that particular community and how they’re being demonized or treated. But we’re here and we stand with the people.”
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Some protesters said they had traveled from the United States to show support for the native community in northern B.C. The vast majority of those coming to Toronto, Goodwai said, were “pretty self-identified as yellow vests” or “white supremacist.”
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