World leaders meeting in Halifax had their summit crashed by National Chief Ovide Mercredi and several dozen protesters in June.
“If this embarasses the government, it’s nothing compared to the pain our people experience because of their policies,” said Chief Mercredi.
“The embarassment is nothing compared to the fact that we have young people committing suicide, people living in poverty and the government of Canada has yet to fill their treaty obligations.” After a noisy march through the city, Chief Mercredi and the chanting, drumbeating protesters attempted to make their way into the “red zone,” a heavily-guarded, barricaded area where the summit was being held. They were ordered to stop by plainclothes Mounties.
Chief Mercredi noticed that white people had been allowed into the red zone. “Is the red zone for red people like me?” he asked a Mountie, and kept going. Police jumped in front of Ovide and he couldn’t get any further.
