Saskatoon’s Chinese community rallies and parades to combat racism

Saskatoon’s Chinese-Canadian community joined with city officials at a rally and parade at Kinsmen Park on Sunday to combat racism.

The event was planned after a 15-year-old boy of Asian descent was allegedly attacked last month while riding his bike through a park after a man began yelling racist insults at him.

A 40-year-old suspect was charged with assault, and organizers of Sunday’s demonstration say acts of racism have been on the rise since COVID-19 arrived in Saskatchewan in March.

“That’s become our concern. We want to have this parade to let people know that it’s not correct to relate COVID-19 to our Chinese community — it’s not right,” organizer Justin Zhong said. “We want our community to be aware.”

People taking part in the rally display a banner prior to marching. (Keenan Sorokan/650 COM)

Members of the Human Rights Commission were joined by Mayor Charlie Clark and councillor Hilary Gough in the crowd.

Clark joined the roughly 100 people gathered at the park to tell them the spirit of community always prevails.

“We must draw on our shared strength in the same way as a community I’ve been so proud that we have come together to keep COVID-19 down, and to keep people safe,” Clark said. “No matter what colour of our skin we have all worked together and rallied and supported one another.”

Zhong only had one word to describe the video of the alleged racist attack when he saw it for the first time.

“It’s shock,” Zhong said, mentioning he has two children of his own. “There are families that have been here for 30 years. How did they bring the coronavirus here from China? We think it’s unfair that people relate this coronavirus to the Chinese community.”

The parade left from Kinsmen Park and moved its way through downtown towards City Hall.