Racially-charged flyers distributed in Steveston earlier this month prompted a protest from residents who say the sentiments are unwelcome.
RICHMOND – A group of protesters came together in Richmond on Sunday in silent protest after anti-Chinese flyers were distributed in the city.
The rally was organized by Edward Liu, in response to racially-charged pamphlets distributed to residents of Steveston earlier this month, reported CTV News.
“We are here to show people our commitment to this community,” he told CTV News.
Liu said he believes the flyers were meant to “divide our community according to ethnic origin, and that’s not right.”
The flyers suggest white people have been “marginalized” by Chinese residents “taking over” the city.
They end with a call to join the Alt-right, the moniker embraced by a faction of U.S. conservatives who supported president-elect Donald Trump’s most xenophobic and discriminatory campaign promises.
“Let’s save Richmond!” it says.
Lisa Descary, who participated in the rally, said she believed the group distributed the flyers to “test the waters” and try to gain support.
MLA and speaker of the B.C. legislature Linda Reid called the flyers “despicable” and “lacking integrity.
“The notion that in 2016 that somebody thinks it’s appropriate is fundamentally wrong,” she said.
The flyers appear to target the Caucasian demographic, distributed in a city where the majority of residents identify as Chinese. It directs readers to a pair of websites with xenophobic sentiments.
“My gut reaction is to start crying because it’s so horrible, I can’t handle it,” said Dawn Michalak, one of the people gathered for the protest.
“It’s awful. It makes me angry,” said another protester, Frank Mackelston.
“We have good friends across the street who are Chinese, and what are they going to say when they see that in the door? This is not how we do business.”
The same extreme-right Conservative movement the pamphlet appears to promote has seen a sharp uptick in public support in the U.S., an ideology protesters said has no place in Canada.
But racially-charged flyers were also circulated last month in the Fraser Valley, advertising the Ku Klux Klan.
The RCMP is investigating both incidents, and have described the Richmond flyers as being motivated by hate or bias. They ask anyone who receives similar material to contact local police.
