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From YouTube: FEBRUARY 16 2022 Statements Roly Russell
Description
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
3rd Session
42nd Parliament
A
Last
friday,
friday
protesters
aligned
with
the
so-called
freedom
convoy
showed
up
to
south
okanagan
secondary
school
in
oliver,
just
prior
to
the
end
of
the
day
when
the
bells
rang,
students
were
exposed
to
a
barrage
of
ugly
demands,
insults
and
racial
slurs
protesters
took
it
upon
themselves,
to
quote
honk,
scream
and
wave
signs
in
our
faces.
I
share
the
words
that
one
student
shared
with
me.
I
was
standing
next
to
one
of
my
friends
that
she
was
harassed
by
a
protester
who
screamed
racist
remarks
just
inches
away
from
her
face.
A
As
another
student
succinctly
wrote,
this
behavior
is
not
okay,
I
hope
in
this
house
we
are
in
unambiguous
consensus
that
our
schools
should
be
safe
places
where
everyone
feels
safe,
comfortable
and
free
to
be
themselves.
These
current
challenges
are
brought
upon
us
in
the
purported
name
of
freedom.
They
are,
in
fact,
individuals
expressing
selfish
desires
to
sustain
their
own
wants,
even
if
and
when
they
come
at
the
expense
of
our
collective
freedoms
and
mental
or
physical
health
provincially.
A
I'm
thankful
for
the
attorney
general
for
bringing
forward
the
bill
and
the
house
the
support
of
this
house
last
autumn
to
enact
bubble
zone
legislation
to
prohibit
protests
around
schools
and
hospitals.
Personally,
I
think
it's
time
we
check
our
own
biases
and
behavior
and
recalibrate
how
we
assess
react
and
respond
when
confronted
with
hate
and
racism.
A
I
close
with
a
quote
posted
by
a
student
from
desmond
tutu,
a
bright
light
that
the
world
lost
a
few
weeks
ago
quote.
If
you
are
on.
If
you
are
neutral
in
situations
of
injustice,
you
have
chosen
the
side
of
the
oppressor
unquote.
We
all
need
to
actively
work
to
eliminate
the
space
for
hate
and
I'm
very
proud
of
the
courage
and
conviction
these
students
carried.
Thank
you.