Vancouver's Muslim and LGBT communities stand together in protest at Trump Tower - Action News
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British Columbia

Vancouver's Muslim and LGBT communities stand together in protest at Trump Tower

"I just think it's important for all of us to stand together, white queers with our brothers and sisters of colour and say that we won't tolerate racism or Islamophobia in our name," said Kaschelle Thiessen.

'United we stand against xenophobia,' says organizer

Protesters held hands in front of the Trump tower in Vancouver in opposition to Donald Trump's assertions that the LGBT community supports his plans regarding Muslims entering the U.S. (Chad Pawson/CBC)

Dozens of people from Vancouver's LGBTand Muslim communities held hands in front the city's Trump International Hotel & Tower to protest comments made by the U.S. presidential hopeful that he has the support of LGBT people on his plan for a"total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States."

"He says he has queer support to ban Muslims," saidImtiaz Popat,an organizer of the protest on Sunday."As a queer Muslim you know we are both facing Islamophobia and homophobia and we want to come together to say this is not acceptable."

"We don't support him.So we are here to send a message that we will not be divided and united we stand against xenophobia."

Kaschelle Thiessen attended the rally with her daughter.

"I just thinkit's important for all of usto stand together, white queers with our brothers and sisters of colour and say that we won't tolerate racism orIslamophobiain our name."

It's not the first time the sidewalk infront of the yet to be completed Trump tower has drawn a crowd in Vancouver.

In December, 2015, Popat organized a similar rallyin reaction to comments about Islam made by Trump at the time. Aweek later Mayor Gregor Robertson said that Trump's name and brand had no place on Vancouver's skyline.

In April local construction worker Diego Reyna climbed to the top of the tower and displayed a Mexican flag to argue that people of all ethnicitieshave contributed to Trump's business success.

"What he says affects here in Canada, because people are listening and it does affect us," said Popat on Sunday.

Kaschelle Thiessen, right, says she expects more protests in front of the Trump tower in Vancouver as the U.S. presidential election proceeds. "We need to take a stand here in Canada as well as the U.S.," she said. (Chad Pawson/CBC)

Thiessen believesthere will be more protests too.

"I think it's likely that you'll see more actions happening here," she said. "I think it's very important that we continue to show our opposition to racism and xenophobia in Canada."