Protesters gathered outside the U.S. consulate in Toronto Monday in a hastily organized demonstration against this weekend鈥檚 violence during a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va.
The small, sidewalk protest was organized over Facebook and Twitter and brought together several dozen people who chanted: 鈥淣o hatred. No fear. Your racism has no place here.鈥�
鈥淚 am a U.S. citizen, and like many U.S. citizens and Canadians, I was appalled by what I saw unfolding in Charlottesville on Saturday,鈥� protest co-organizer and University of Toronto professor Donna Gabaccia told 麻豆影视 Channel.
She said the gathering was friendly and noted many in attendance were 鈥渘ot political activists or people who would normally show up for a demonstration.鈥�
Many held signs with messages condemning anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, white supremacism and other forms of racism.
Gabaccia characterized the demonstration as a 鈥渓argely white鈥� mix of U.S. and Canadian citizens.
鈥淢any white people, whether they are Americans or Canadians, feel that it is especially important to speak out now. In the past that hasn鈥檛 always been the case in moments of bigotry and racial conflict,鈥� she said.
Jesse Blue Forrest, who was born and raised in Charlottesville, was among those who attended the rally. He called the clashes in his hometown 鈥渟ickening鈥� including the murder of Heather Heyer, 32, who was struck and killed by a driver who rammed into the crowd.
Forrest told CP24 that Charlottesville was once a peaceful city 鈥渁nd seeing what has happened now, the cancer that is in the United States, it鈥檚 just not Charlottesville.鈥�
He added, though, that the tension in Virginia has 鈥渂een brewing for a long time鈥� and not just since U.S. President Donald Trump took over the White House.
鈥淭he under-surface part of it has been there a really long time,鈥� Forrest said.
Forrest said he was pleased to see Toronto residents come out for the protest, 鈥渢o stand against this sickness that鈥檚 taking place right now,鈥� adding he hopes it鈥檚 a sickness that never spreads to Canada.
Similar rallies against the Charlottesville violence were held across the U.S. and parts of Canada Sunday, including in Montreal, where approximately 200 people marched past the local U.S. consulate to protest racism.
A vigil was held in Toronto Sunday night to remember the victims of Saturday's violence.
On Sunday, Trump condemned the Virginia violence, but failed to make any specific reference to the white supremacists.
Instead, he spoke of 鈥渉atred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides鈥� while offering condolences to the Heyer family 鈥渁nd best regards to all of those injured.鈥�
After facing pressure all weekend to issue a more forceful statement, Trump read a new statement to reporters Monday in which he called neo-Nazis, white supremacists, the KKK, and other hate groups 鈥渃riminals and thugs鈥� who are 鈥渞epugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans."
鈥淭his morning I think he felt he was probably in a corner,鈥� Gabaccia said of Trump鈥檚 second response.
