Vancouver's Muslim and LGBT communities stand together in protest at Trump Tower
Chad Pawson | CBC News | Posted: June 20, 2016 1:28 AM | Last Updated: June 20, 2016
'United we stand against xenophobia,' says organizer
Dozens of people from Vancouver's LGBT and Muslim communities held hands in front the city's Trump International Hotel & Tower to protest comments made by the U.S. presidential hopeful that he has the support of LGBT people on his plan for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States."
"He says he has queer support to ban Muslims," said Imtiaz Popat, an organizer of the protest on Sunday. "As a queer Muslim you know we are both facing Islamophobia and homophobia and we want to come together to say this is not acceptable."
"We don't support him. So we are here to send a message that we will not be divided and united we stand against xenophobia."
Kaschelle Thiessen attended the rally with her daughter.
"I just think it's important for all of us to stand together, white queers with our brothers and sisters of colour and say that we won't tolerate racism or Islamophobia in our name."
It's not the first time the sidewalk in front of the yet to be completed Trump tower has drawn a crowd in Vancouver.
In December, 2015, Popat organized a similar rally in reaction to comments about Islam made by Trump at the time. A week later Mayor Gregor Robertson said that Trump's name and brand had no place on Vancouver's skyline.
In April local construction worker Diego Reyna climbed to the top of the tower and displayed a Mexican flag to argue that people of all ethnicities have contributed to Trump's business success.
- Mexican flag hung by construction worker at Vancouver's Trump Tower
- Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson wants Trump name removed from tower
"What he says affects here in Canada, because people are listening and it does affect us," said Popat on Sunday.
Thiessen believes there will be more protests too.
"I think it's likely that you'll see more actions happening here," she said. "I think it's very important that we continue to show our opposition to racism and xenophobia in Canada."