Women's Memorial March draws thousands to Downtown Eastside (PHOTOS)

Women's Memorial March (_anishinaabekwe/ Instagram)

Thousands gathered on the streets of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside on Wednesday to honour the lives of missing and murdered indigenous women for the 28th annual Women’s Memorial March.

The march originally started in 1992 in response to the murder of a Coast Salish woman on Vancouver’s Powell Street.

Since then, the march has grown into an annual event taking place every Valentine’s Day.

The 2018 event began at the intersection of Main Street and Hastings Street and proceeded throughout the city, stopping where women were last seen or found.

Those who attended this year’s march shared their shots on social media.

It was an honour to walk along side thousands of allies today to remember the many missing and murdered Indigenous women that have been stolen from us in the Downtown Eastside and across Turtle Island. I pray that those who have passed on find peace in the spirit world and those missing find their way home. We need to do better- we need to protect our women and girls and we need to ensure the justice system does right by our people. NO MORE STOLEN SISTERS. All my relations ♥️ #mmiwg #womensmemorialmarch

A post shared by Angelina (@angelinarrose) on Feb 14, 2018 at 9:58pm PST

Women’s Memorial March 14/02/2018

A post shared by Peter Tran (@ptr.tran) on Feb 14, 2018 at 9:28pm PST

Some selects from the Wommen’s March in DTES today.

A post shared by Ronnie Dean Harris (@ostwelve) on Feb 14, 2018 at 8:20pm PST

Today we honor the missing and murdered indigenous women across the nation. The violence and trauma that indigenous women face is severe. A 2011 Statistics Canada report estimated that indigenous women are seven times more likely than other women to be victims of a homicide. In 2016 it was estimated that there was at least 4,000 cases of indigenous women who are missing and/or murdered. The world is cruel and the system is oppressed. If you are reading this you have the ability to support what is right. Don’t stand in silence. Stand with us. Justice for my sisters. We will always remember you. All my relations. 🦅

A post shared by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀🕉 Lee ✝ (@crazyleechild) on Feb 14, 2018 at 6:53pm PST

Image 1 sign reads: WE WANT CHANGE WE MARCH IN HONOUR OF OUR LOST LOVED ONES WE WILL BE IDLE NO MORE — Image 2 signs read: HONOUR REMEMBER YOU ARE SO LOVED — #mmiw #memorialmarch #uncededterritory Photos from 2017

A post shared by Photos by K.Ho (@photosbykho) on Feb 14, 2018 at 6:20pm PST

It was a beautiful day to march in remembrance and prayer for our missing and murdered indigenous women. May we continue to defend the sacred❤ #mmiw

A post shared by Jayne McIver (@jayne.mciver) on Feb 14, 2018 at 6:01pm PST

Women memorial march #dtes #proud #women #beautiful #indigenous #vancity #vancouver #native #ndn #march #valentinesday

A post shared by Dawn (@swims_92) on Feb 14, 2018 at 4:46pm PST

An eagle circled overhead today (February 14) as some 2,000 people gathered at the intersection of Main Street and East Hastings for the annual Downtown Eastside Women’s Memorial March. It had snowed the night before and this afternoon looked like a cold rain could dampen the gathering, which is held each year in memory of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. But just as the crowd began to march north from the Carnegie Community Centre, the clouds broke and warm sunshine shone through. #vancouver #downtowneastside #dtes #indigenous #firstnations #aboriginal #mmiw #womensmarch #reconciliation #colonialism #memorial #activism #canada

A post shared by Travis Lupick (@tlupick) on Feb 14, 2018 at 4:30pm PST

27th Annual Womens Memorial March ❤

A post shared by Brittney Udall (@brittudall) on Feb 14, 2018 at 4:16pm PST

Feb 14th Women’s Memorial March for the #mmiwg in the #dtes #yvr

A post shared by Andrea Menard (@grandmotherwind) on Feb 14, 2018 at 3:19pm PST

#womensmarch #mainandhastings #powerfulwomen #powerful #sage #missingandmurderedindigenouswomen

A post shared by here ye here yee! (@its_kasia_bitch) on Feb 14, 2018 at 3:10pm PST

A great day for the Women’s Memorial March!

A post shared by Joanne Nelson (@jnjewelryart) on Feb 14, 2018 at 2:58pm PST

#mmiw #womensmemorialmarch2018 #idlenomore #indigenouslivesmatter 💓

A post shared by Nadya (@nady_j) on Feb 14, 2018 at 2:30pm PST

Women’s memorial march 2018. #mmiw

A post shared by Emma Pullman (@activistkitchen) on Feb 14, 2018 at 1:11pm PST

“The February 14th Women’s Memorial March is an opportunity to come together to grieve the loss of our beloved sisters, remember the women who are still missing, and to dedicate ourselves to justice. Please join us.” . . . . Out of this sense of hopelessness and anger came an annual march on Valentine’s Day to express compassion, community, and caring for all women in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, Coast Salish Territories. . . . . The March honours the lives of missing and murdered women. This event is organized and led by women in the DTES because women, especially Indigenous women, face physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual violence on a daily basis. #valentinesday #DTES #vancouver #womensmarch #theirspiritslivewithinus #nomorestolensisters #honouringoursisters #2018

A post shared by In Unity (@inunity_uog) on Feb 14, 2018 at 8:48am PST

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