Hundreds of people gathered outside VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 City Hall Saturday afternoon following the removal of the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald.

There was a wide representation of people, spanning from those part of the Indigenous Solidarity Working Group, to those associated with vigilante group, Soldiers of Odin.

Repeatedly, chants of B次元官网网址淗ey, hey, ho, ho, white supremacyB次元官网网址檚 got to go!B次元官网网址� rang through the crowd as a megaphone was passed around.

While some people tried to shout over one another, others engaged in thoughtful dialouge with each other on politics, history and race.

Those in support were happy to see the statue of a key figure in the creation of residential schools removed, while those in protest felt there wasnB次元官网网址檛 enough discussion about the decision to remove the statue and that MacdonaldB次元官网网址檚 role in the development of Canada was important.

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps B次元官网网址� who was not in attendance B次元官网网址� was not surprised about the protest, but noted that from here going forward a B次元官网网址渨ider discussionB次元官网网址� would be made to the public about further steps towards reconciliation.

B次元官网网址淥ne of the principles of engagement is you engage on sensitive issues with the most affected people, which weB次元官网网址檝e been doing for the past year,B次元官网网址� Helps said. B次元官网网址淣ow that this act has taken place, thereB次元官网网址檚 room for a wider conversationB次元官网网址� I think the City Family and council is ready to have a more robust conversation, asking B次元官网网址榟ow do we reconcile?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

nicole.crescenzi@vicnews.com

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