A crowd of nearly 1,000 people shouted “Justice for Colten!” outside Saskatoon’s Court of Queen’s Bench on Saturday.
On Friday evening, Gerald Stanley was found not guilty in the shooting death of 22-year-old Colten Boushie. Following that decision, a day of action was organized to show support for the Boushie family.
“You give me strength, you give my family strength and you are going to be the momentum that helps us to get justice for Colten, as well as all other people throughout this system,” Colten Boushie’s cousin, Jade Tootoosis, told the crowd.
Local Indigenous leaders asked for solidarity, while calling on changes to the justice system.
“If Canada and Saskatchewan are serious about reconciliation, we want more than words and tears, we want action,” said Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) vice-chief David Pratt.
Justice for Colten rallies were held in a dozen Canadian cities, from St. John’s to Victoria on Saturday afternoon.
“Don’t be afraid. Don’t be silent. Continue to organize and mobilize, speak out wherever you are, at your kitchen table, to your classroom to your work spaces, into the streets,” Tootoosis said.
“We can’t let this movement be fuelled by rage. We have to manifest it into something that creates permanent change,” said Kiera Day, a rally participant in Toronto.
More rallies are being organized in the coming days across Canada.
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