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Anti-racism car rally postponed due to threats rescheduled for Sunday in Nanaimo

A Nanaimo anti-racism car rally that was cancelled due to threats has been rescheduled for Sunday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. It is being staged by Nanaimo/Ladysmith Spoke, a member of the Resilience B.C. Anti-Racism Network.
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A Nanaimo anti-racism car rally that was cancelled due to threats has been rescheduled for Sunday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

It is being staged by Nanaimo/Ladysmith Spoke, a member of the Resilience B.C. Anti-Racism Network.

The route is slightly more than 15 kilometres.

The rally was originally scheduled to be held last month, but online threats of ­violence led organizers to postpone the event.

Participants are meeting in parking lot A at Vancouver Island University. The route is confidential for safety reasons. RCMP have been notified that the rally is going ahead, the organizers said in an email.

Rachna Singh, B.C. parliamentary secretary for anti-racism initiatives, is expected to attend, along with other local, provincial and federal elected officials.

The group said that it is going ahead with the event because “threats to the safety of BIPOC people is nothing new.” BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous and other people of colour.

“BIPOC community members face threats and various forms of racial violence on a daily basis,” organizers said.

“BIPOC people have always resisted this hatred, which is grounded in white supremacy, and will continue to do so. It is important that we all stand against racism and other forms of hate — not despite the threats but because the threats are an unpleasant reminder of why this work is so needed.”