THUNDER BAY - Comments made by the chief of the Thunder Bay Police Service are drawing criticism from organizers of the recent Black Lives Matter protest in the city.
“My message to the chief of police? First of all I found that statement very disrespectful and violent toward the whole movement of Black Lives Matter because she blatantly said that all lives matter when all lives don’t matter until Black lives matter,” said Pitia Modi, one of the organizers.
The Black Lives Matter protest was held last Friday at Waverley Park and saw more than 2,000 people in attendance.
Thunder Bay Police Chief Sylvie Hauth was in attendance and she said she wanted to be there to show her support and listen. However, when speaking with TBT News and Tbnewswatch, Hauth used the phrase 'all lives matter.'
"You have to look at it holistically,” Hauth said Friday. “When we are talking about Black Lives Matter, it is really all lives matter and ensuring that racism has no place in our community and in our law enforcement and any of our institutions here in Thunder Bay.”
Using the phrase ‘all lives matter’ has been criticized by those participating in Black Lives Matter protests who say it diminishes their cause.
“The comment of all lives matter really shows that ignorance is bliss,” Modi said. “You saying that all lives matter is taking away from a community that is burning, that has been burning for generations and you’re trying to bring light onto another community that isn’t having problems or struggling. You just want to feel as though you are a victim. You should really be joining together in unity and be an ally for the Black community.”
Modi said by making that statement, Hauth “is trying to erase what we are doing and what the whole protest was about.”
After Dougall Media asked to speak with Hauth on the matter, Thunder Bay Police Service director of communications and technology Chris Adams replied with the following statement:
“I can confidently say that Chief Hauth’s purpose in attending Friday’s protest was to support of the primary intent of the protest, which was Black Lives Matter.”
Modi said he is not looking for an apology from Hauth, saying actions will speak louder than words.
“An apology is not enough at this point,” he said. “It just shows that this has been going on for way too long. Actions really do tell the truth. It just really shows a lot about the Thunder Bay Police system as a whole.”
“I know the police were going to come to the rally regardless,” Modi added. “I don’t believe she should have came to the rally because this rally is really holding the police accountable and holding them responsible for the things they are doing. I feel she should have been reflecting on herself and the rest of the staff and do things that would help better the system.”
Modi also pointed to the report by the Office of the Independent Police Review Director that found racism in the Thunder Bay Police Service at a systemic level and that it is up the service to make major changes.
“What the police force has to do to show they are really with the Black lives movement and bettering Indigenous youth as well, it’s not going to come from a day, it’s not going to come from two weeks or a month,” he said.
“It’s going to come with time and them showing that they are changing from their actions. They can say any statement, bring out any words but it really means nothing at the end of the day if they don’t change the system from within. The system is messed up from the core.”
Local media coverage of the protest, including that of Dougall Media, also drew criticism online. Modi said there should be more focus on the Black lives and organizers who are Black.
“Everything that they write really shows that they are really biased toward their statements,” he said. “It really seems like they are using it sort of like a trend, which is really sad to see. The media has to do better and take accountability as well.”
