Joanne McQuarrie, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Chants of “No justice, no peace” and “Stop the silence, stop the violence” echoed through Jasper’s streets on Saturday.
More than 50 people took part in the peaceful Black Lives Matter demonstration - the second one in less than a week.
In the first demonstration on June 2, organizer Jesse McGugan put the word out to friends the same morning and expected around ten people to show up; more than 40 were there.
“This time I realized the community was concerned and I extended it to the entire community. It was a public event,” he said.
The group of peaceful protesters gathered at the courthouse and then walked down Connaught Drive and over to Patricia Street, returning to where they started at the courthouse.
And McGugan said efforts will continue in Jasper to bring attention to this issue.
“We’re planning to do an educational, fundraising event to raise awareness and money, toward Black Lives Matter and ending police brutality,” McGugan said.
Plans have just started. McGugan said it will happen sometime this summer.