"You Say Justice, We Say Now!"

International Women’s Day protestors in Vancouver brought a local perspective to the 100th anniversary of the global celebration Saturday in a rally for indigenous women’s rights and an end to violence in the Downtown Eastside, an area better known for its drug use and prostitution than community spirit.

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Demonstrators march down the westbound lanes of East Hastings as the top of a stranded bus pokes out of the pent-up traffic behind them.

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A uniformed volunteer guides the march through the intersection of Hastings and Main as a police ghost car reroutes approaching traffic.

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Signs and flags against the heritage buildings of the Downtown Eastside.

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“You say justice, we say now!”

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The march ended in a noon hour rally at Victory Square…

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…where the demonstration was joined by several other groups keen to ride its momentum, including recruiters for the Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada.

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Author

Austin Andrews is a Vancouver-based photojournalist and occasional filmmaker with a penchant for finding the fantastic in the everyday. Contact him at austin [at] disposablewords [dot] net

5 comments

  • So it did. You have a strong theme going here about resistance to the system. How do you stand on this as a citizen? What is citizen journalism without a moral stance?

    Reply
  • Even if I don’t always agree with the causes that are on parade, the rallies themselves are healthy outlets and I always enjoy getting out to photograph and meet people. It doesn’t run too much deeper than that, not yet anyway.

    Does that make me a bad photojournalist to admit I don’t feel too strong a personal investment in my subjects?

    Reply
  • I don’t think it makes you a bad photojournalist at all, it leaves you impartial. With the lens and the blog you choose what you are going to frame and publish. We are seeing the rally through your eyes.

    Reply

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