Organizers are asking white and non-black supporters to remain in the background during an Ottawa vigil Tuesday evening for Michael Brown, the unarmed 18-year-old black man shot and killed by police in Ferguson, Mo., last August.
The vigil was planned for 6 p.m. tonight in front of the U.S. Embassy on Sussex Drive. While organizers said on Facebook they “appreciate the solidarity” shown by whites and non-black persons, they asked them to “refrain from taking up space in all ways possible” in a posting Tuesday afternoon.
“Remember that you are there in support of black folks, so should never be at the centre of anything,” wrote organizer Bilan Arte, deputy chair of the Canadian Federation of Students.
White and non-black supporters should refrain from speaking to the media, Arte continued. “Black voices are crucial to this.”
They should “stand behind black folks, or between us and the police,” Arte wrote, adding: “If you see a cop harassing a black person, come in and engage. (Chances are they are least likely to arrest you.)”
Arte’s post triggered a fierce debate on Facebook.
One white supporter said it had “changed a lot for me. I will no longer be attending this event or supporting this cause.” A non-white poster asked: “Wow, is this an anti-racist rally or a pro-segregation one?”
Comments like those were met with hostility by those who supported the organizers. “By being centre of attention, you’re shifting the attention to yourself and once again, black people go unheard,” one wrote.
Tuesday’s vigil was prompted by Monday’s decision by a U.S. grand jury not to indict the police officer who shot and killed the unarmed Brown. The decision sparked rioting in the streets of Ferguson, with at least a dozen buildings badly damaged or destroyed.
Related
