Vigil in Honour of Trayvon Martin Draws Crowd at Phillips Square

Posted by The Link in Pic Picks on July 18, 2013

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Despite a massive storm only a few hours earlier, around 300 people gathered for a vigil in memory of Trayvon Martin Wednesday evening in Phillips Square. The event, organized by Students of Colour Montreal, saw various speakers express their concerns over the many forms of injustice seemingly inherent in the legal systems of Canada, the United States and around the world.

The vigil was held in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman, who had been charged with the second-degree murder of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year old unarmed black teenager in Florida, who was shot and killed by Zimmerman in February of last year. Speakers at the vigil pointed to the deaths of Fredy Villanueva and Anthony Griffin as examples of the racial violence that occurs in Canada, noting that those seen as responsible are rarely held accountable.

Members of the Kalmunity Vibe Collective and The Babae Collective spoke and gave musical performances, as well as Didier Berry, a filmmaker who is pursuing a civil case against the SPVM after he was allegedly beaten unconscious by an officer while filming the arrest of a friend.

The night ended with an open mic session, where members of the crowd shared their experiences with race related violence and prejudice in Montreal and elsewhere.