Black voices at centre of Canadian pro-Ferguson rallies

A suggestion that non-black protesters limit their visibility and “stand behind black folks” at protests Tuesday in Ottawa and Toronto against the fatal shooting of a black teen in Ferguson, Mo., has sparked a heated debate on social media.

Bilan Arte, one of the Ottawa event organizers, says on the vigil’s Facebook page that “white/non black allies” should “refrain from taking up space” and “never be the centre of anything.”

The same message appeared verbatim on the Facebook page for the Toronto rally, asking non-blacks to not speak to the media, saying “black voices are crucial to this.”

Arte’s post prompted more than 100 comments, with one man asking “is this an anti-racist rally or a pro-segregation one?”

Arte, deputy chairwoman with the Canadian Federation of Students, says on her own Facebook page that she’s received upwards of 50 messages from “righteous upset white people” taking issue with the post.

The protests in Toronto and Ottawa follow a decision Monday by a grand jury in the U.S. not to indict a white police officer in the shooting death of an unarmed black man, 18-year-old Michael Brown.

A riot followed and thousands of National Guardsmen have been called in to help prevent a second night of violence.

Thousands braved freezing temperatures in Toronto and gathered across the street from the U.S. Consulate.

Protest leader Lena Peters said the immediate issue was that the grand jury made the decision not to take the “murder” of a black man to trial.

“Those folks who are here tonight don’t believe that’s OK,” she said.

“We believe that it is part of a larger system that doesn’t value black life.”

Just a few police officers showed up at the demonstration, reflecting the peaceful nature of the protest, which an officer estimated drew some 3,000 people.

Holding candles, they repeatedly chanted, “No justice, no peace,” and “Being black is not a crime.”

“Basically, I don’t want to live in a world where some lives matter and some lives don’t,” said Christina Miniaci, one of the protesters.

The protest leaders also called for an acknowledgment by all levels of the Canadian government of what they called the excessive use of police force in Ferguson against blacks as a human rights issue.

Peters and others also used the occasion to vent their anger against police in the Greater Toronto Area for alleged racial profiling and brutality against black people.

They demanded justice for Jermaine Carby, who was fatally shot by Peel Regional Police during a traffic stop in Brampton, Ont., in September. Carby’s cousin LaToya was among the speakers at the event.

Ontario’s police watchdog is investigating that case.

In Ottawa, dozens of people — some holding signs saying “black lives matter” and “racism exists” — rallied outside the American embassy.