Demand Justice for Sammy Yatim!
Toronto,ON—We, the members of the Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance of Ontario (UKPC/FCYA-ON), condemn the actions by the Toronto Police in shooting and killing 18 year old Sammy Yatim. We demand the Toronto Police be held accountable for their actions and use of deadly force firing almost 10 shots before following up with a taser to kill Yatim. Though the police were called in because Yatim was reported and witnessed to be brandishing a three-inch knife and wielding it inside the streetcar, the police crew escalated the situation to the point where several of them took shots at his body. Sammy Yatim was an 18-year-old young man born in Syria, but lived in Toronto since immigrating to Canada. Our thoughts and condolences go to the family and friends of Sammy Yatim.
We are angered that another youth of colour has died at the hands of the police here in Toronto. This is a painful reality faced by racialised youth across this city–across this country–and it is our collective outrage that continues to call for justice to be served! Our outrage at each death of a young person of colour by the hands of the Toronto Police has continually led and renewed the demands for change to take place. We demand an end to police brutality against racialised minorities and for the police to be held accountable for their actions. These are always loud and clear and it is no different today.
The members of UKPC/FCYA-ON, and our sister organizations SIKLAB-ON and the Philippine Women Centre-ON will gather and unite with hundreds of others to demand justice for Sammy! We do this for all the other youth killed by the police–those who should have been there to protect them–we call for justice to be served, we call for an end to police violence!
An emergency vigil/march will take place today at 5:00pm starting at Yonge and Dundas Square and continue towards Bellwoods and 14 Division.
https://www.facebook.com/events/551969194868293/