The following statement is from Chief Sylvie Hauth in regards to Friday’s planned Black Lives Matter protest in Thunder Bay.
"It is impossible to be silent when faced with an overwhelming issue that affects all of us. Racism is real and we all have a responsibility to face it and to take real actions to address it. There is no place in this society for violence and racist behaviours. There is no place for silence on this matter.
We stand today and everyday in solidarity with our community and most importantly, with those who experience racism and discrimination in all forms. My commitment to you is to remain transparent and accountable in all that we do as a Police Service. To Serve and Protect are empty words if we don’t make the effort to engage with all groups and communities here in this city. We are committed to continuing our work to build public trust.
The Thunder Bay Police Service respects the rights of all people in this community to have a voice and to be heard. We have reached out to the event organizers and support their goal of making this event a peaceful protest. That line of communication is critical to ensuring everyone’s health and safety and we are very appreciative of the organizers’ efforts in this regard. Our purpose in attending the protest on Friday will be to ensure public safety."