A solidarity demonstration for all "victims of police impunity" took place in downtown Montreal on Sunday, May 31. One of the organizers of the protest, the organization Hoodstock, believes that the "media [took] pleasure in distorting our beautiful and peaceful demonstration." So, the Hoodstock team decided to share their own footage of the Montreal protest in order to show "the real purpose of this rally."
"We want to live in an anti-racist society! We will not give up under any circumstances as long as the meausures are not taken," Hoodstock wrote.
And, another demonstration will be taking place on Sunday, June 7, where Hoodstock is asking allies to "demonstrate while celebrating Montreal's diversity."
"Be all present, yet again, for another peaceful demonstration organized by the New Generation Black League in collaboration with several organizations including Hoodstock!," the organization wrote in the message attached to its video.
Hoodstock's mission is to spark conversations that denounce inequality, help in the pursuit of justice, and create cooperative communities that stand in solidarity with one another.
In Hoodstock's footage below, you can watch a myriad of speeches that took place during the rally, people holding up their anti-racism posters, and an aerial view of what the demonstration on May 31 was like.
This video is shared with permission from Hoodstock.
One of the posters seen in the video reads "There are two pandemics in this world: COVID-19 and racism."
The aerial view of the protest shows anyone who was not in attendance just how many individuals showed up on May 31.
Hoodstock states that 50,000 Quebecers made their way to downtown Montreal that day to "denounce racial profiling, police killing, systemic racism and discrimination."
After speaking with Marie-Livia Beaugé, a criminal lawyer who is part of Hoodstock, we can confirm that this video aims to show a different side to the protest than media has shown.
The organization is asking that people share its video to "fix the narrative" of the protest.