Surrey, June 14: Anger and sorrow brought thousands of protesters to Surrey City Hall Wednesday evening to protest against the ongoing street violence that left two boys dead last week.
Parents and community groups gathered at the “Wake Up Surrey” rally on Wednesday to seek government action and appeal to the community to work towards change.
The protest was evoked by the killing of 16-year-old Jaskarn (Jason) Singh Jhutty and 17-year-old Jaskaran (Jassi) Singh Bhangal, whose bullet-riddled bodies were found by police on June 4. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team believes the shooting was targeted.
Rally organizer Gurpreet Sahota said the protest against the boys’ death was a reaction to the escalating crisis arising out of an unsafe neighbourhood.
“Earlier gangsters were getting killed, but now the situation has reached a point where gang violence has reached outside schools and 16 and 17 years old are being killed,” he said.
An organization called Save Canadian Kids handed out literature calling for society to shift the blame for gang involvement from parents to the illicit drug trade. They believe that the drug supply should be regulated in order to stop gang violence.
Another group launched a community initiative, #StandingUpForOurKids, that seeks a “critical intervention” involving police, teachers, mental health workers, parents and students working together.
Friends and family of Jason and Jassi wore shirts emblazoned with the boys’ faces and carried their photos and signs calling for justice.
Parents wept as they clutched on to their children as they listened to Mandeep Bhangal, Jassi’s aunt speak to the crowd: “I beg all of you to talk to the government and whoever we need to talk to. Enough is enough.”
Sahota said he had met with police who claim they are yet to see the $327.5 million earmarked by Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale to combat gang violence. He hoped the government was listening to their call for action.
Cynthia Allaire-Bell, whose 19-year-old son Devon was killed by five people while playing soccer with a friend in 2011, also shared her pain that Devon’s killers walked free on the streets of Surrey.
Provincial safety minister Mike Farnworth told reporters he was attending the rally at the request of organizers, who wanted him to listen to the demands of the community. He said his government was committed to working with Surrey’s government, police and school district to build on work already done in prevention and enforcement.
