More than 100 people gathered for a vigil in memory of Anthony Aust,23. He died Oct 7, after falling from 12th floor window, following a no knock -dynamic entry by the Ottawa Police tactical team.

This vigil is happening in the shadow of the Jasmine Cres. apt building where Anthony Aust fell to his death. This is an ethnically diverse neighborhood.

This a community activist with a spoken word poem written for BIPOC mothers. It is a plea for police to understand that their use of force has an impact on how they are perceived by racialized youth.

One of the groups speaking is @J4Abdirahman. This is Co-chair Ifrah Yusuf. Abdi’s brother is beside her. Anthony Aust died 13 days before Cst Daniel Montsion was found not guilty in the death of Abdirahman Abdi

Nhora Aust is watching this vigil from a distance. She’s wearing a T-shirt with Anthony’s face on it. She was surprised and moved when community activists told her they wanted to do this.

. @JoelHardenONDP is here speaking as well. “We have a problem with police violence in this city... I say to the mayor, the Premier, the Prime Minister- if we continue to lose Black and Indigenous lives there is no accountability. This isn’t about bad apples - the tree is rotten”

Harden is the only politician here. The city councillor for this area is not here. I don’t see members of the @ottawapolice Services Board here.

Harden is against increasing the police budget. We need more than “platitudes and performance” he says.

Ottawa City Council voted 20-4 against redirecting the funds from Ottawa Police to public health during a pandemic. This came after Aust’s death, after community anger over Cst Montsion found not guilty in Abdirahman Abdi’s death. https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5762411

23 roses for each year of Anthony Aust’s life -30-