Youth Association protests police takedown at Algoma U

NEWS RELEASE

SAULT YOUTH ASSOCIATION

************************* A message to Travis Syrette and Robert Totime from the Sault Youth Association

SAULT STE. MARIE - (June 22) - The Sault Youth Association as an advocate for local youth in our community wants to relay our support to both Mr. Syrette [shown] and Mr. Totime for the ordeal they have suffered.

We applaud the efforts of Algoma University in promoting their institution to the international community and are both shocked and saddened by the actions of Friday June 18.

The association participated a few weeks ago in a Cultural Diversity day at Anna McCrea Public School (adjacent to the Algoma U campus).

The Grade 8 class planned and executed this event to embrace differences in culture and, perhaps we as a community need to have the same opinions and attitudes as displayed at the school that day.

The simple fact that Mr. Totime cannot feel comfortable out in the community is a tragedy and speaks to the discrimination demonstrated by those he has encountered off-campus.

Many are questioning why and what went wrong? The blame does not really matter as the events cannot change.

Are we that narrow as a culture that a lone black male must meet the profile of a dangerous offender?

What if the description was white male, brown hair, brown eyes – how many would have been stopped at gunpoint?

************************* Earlier SooToday.com coverage of this story

Algoma U students taken down at gunpoint. Why?