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Toronto police charge man dressed in ‘blackface’ during anti-racism protest in Toronto
Toronto police said officers on the scene talked to Shtembari after they were notified about his presence at the protest. (File photo: @koshuuu/Unsplash)
The man who attended an anti-racism protest in Toronto in “blackface” over the weekend has now been charged, according to Toronto police on Tuesday, June 9.
Protesters went to Nathan Philips Square on Saturday afternoon, June 6, to rally against anti-black racism when a man, identified as 28-year-old Deivis Shtembari, showed up with his face covered in black paint.
Toronto police said officers on the scene talked to Shtembari after they were notified about his presence at the protest.
He was arrested by authorities for breach of peace and later on charged with causing a disturbance.
The police said he is scheduled to appear in court at Old City Hall on Thursday, July 16 at 11 a.m.
Two separate rallies, attended by thousands of people, were reportedly held over the weekend to condemn anti-black racism,
The protesters gathered at Nathan Phillips Square at around 1 p.m. for a peaceful march organized by Action for Injustice. The crowd eventually stopped near the U.S. Consulate where they knelt on the ground for more than eight minutes to honor African-American George Floyd who died on May 25, after a police officer pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck.
Meanwhile, another rally was held at Trinity Bellwoods Park before they headed to Queen’s Park.
Many people from different parts of the world expressed outrage, either through joining protests or posting in social media, over Floyd’s death.
They are continuously demanding for justice and protesting against police brutality and racism.
The four former Minneapolis police officers involved in Floyd’s death were earlier slapped with charges.
The Minneapolis City Council has also approved to ban police use of chokeholds or neck restraints on civilians “for any reason.”
