Hundreds rally at Churchill Square to demand justice for Fontaine and Boushie after not-guilty verdicts

More than 200 people occupiedChurchill Square Sunday afternoon,demanding justice for Tina Fontaine and Colten Boushie.

It was one of severalrallies across Canada this weekend, where activists showed their support for the young Indigenous people.

Theydied in separate incidents, but both cases had the same outcome: their accusedkillers were acquitted.

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Edmonton's rally was organized bythe Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women. Program coordinator Stephanie Harpesaid Indigenous people shouldn't have to beg for respect.

"I'm not here to talk about the colour of my goddamn skin," she said as the crowd applauded. "I'm here to tell you we just want basic human rights and protections. That's it. I want to feel safe. I want my daughter to feel safe. I want my granddaughter to feel safe. I don't think that's asking for much."

Indigenous people aren't backing down despite the challenges their communities face, Harpe said.

"We just need to keep the fire burning, the momentum going because this is a crisis," she said. "We are not disposable.You cannot kill us and get away with it, someone needs to be held accountable. My mother's murderer walked away, so I know exactly how they feel."

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Harpe pleadedfor Canadiansto support Indigenous communities.

"If you feel the way the rest of us feel, send an email, write a letter, send a tweet, make a post, create a group, go outside one of these places and stand out there and sing. Do something, anything. We would really appreciate it."

Indigenous activist Muriel Stanley Venne spoke at the rally, and said what happened to Boushie and Fontainecould happen to any Indigenous person.

"Every single act of discrimination that happens in this country is government legislated," she said. "They put up the barriers towarda good life. And they also need to work with us, all of us, each and every one of us, to correct this."

'We are in distress'

Priscilla Cardinal said she came out to protest oppression in thejustice and child welfare systems.

"Indigenous people, we are in distress," she said. "Too much is going on for too long and it's being ignored, right from British Columbia right to the east coast."

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Cardinal said she wanted to give a voice to people who live onFirst Nations, and couldn't make the trip toattend a rally.

"[Justin Trudeau] should start implementing change instead of talking about what we should do and what should be created," she said.

"People know what's going on. It's just,we're not able to have our voices heard."

Jade Tootoosis, Colten Boushie's cousin, offered condolences to the Fontaine family.

"Know that our hearts are with you and feel your pain all too well," she said in front of the crowd.

"To all the youth, all the Indigenous youth across Turtle Island, you are not criminals," she added. "You are loved, and you are so important, and you are valuable, and you are smart, and you are resilient. You are so much more than the systems paint you out to be and I never want you to forget that."

'There is no justice'

Arlene Ducharme attended the rally, and said more people need to be aware of the problems thatimpactIndigenous communities.

"People need to wake up and see what's happening, not only in our backyard but around the globe. There's so much oppression of the Indigenous people in this country and the way we have to beg for everything we get," she said.

"Our rights are being trampled every which way you turn. So where's the justice in that? There is no justice," she added.

"How many more deaths do we have to see? How many? One is too many."