Vancouverites marched Sunday for missing and murdered Indigenous women

On Sunday, February 14, thousands of Vancouverites honoured murdered and missing indigenous women in the 26th annual Downtown Eastside Women’s Memorial March.

The march is intended to bring attention to vulnerable women who died “due to physical, mental, emotional and spiritual violence,” reads a press release by the event organizers.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised an inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women, and the group has recommendations for how the government should approach it.

“The government’s current plan for the national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women should focus on three key issues: the overall status of Indigenous women in Canada, addressing systemic and male violence against Indigenous women, and safe and respectful participation of families and loved ones including families of the heart, frontline workers and Indigenous feminist organizations,” said co-founder of the Women’s Memorial March Committee Fay Blaney.

Over a thousand from all walks of life join in to show support at the 26th Women’s Memorial March in Vancouver.#MMIW pic.twitter.com/bUHZ4Mde5K

— Indigenous Voter (@IndigenousVoter) February 14, 2016

Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould joined in the march on Valentine’s Day, along with Mayor Gregor Robertson.

Heartened to see big crowd incl Justice Minister @Puglaas @andreareimer at Women’s Memorial March yesterday pic.twitter.com/K2bdPG0uHQ — Gregor Robertson (@MayorGregor) February 15, 2016

@Puglaas @DrTimRaybould Walking for justice in The Women’s Memorial March. #MOJAG pic.twitter.com/JBL82yaUUJ

— elaineperry (@elainevancouver) February 14, 2016

Participants took to social media with pictures and videos of the march.

March for #mmiw in Vancouver (murdered and missing indigenous women) Feb 14th 2016. #vancouver #canada #calgary #winnipeg #toroto #nyc #chicago #losangeles #lasvegas #hamilton #sixnations #entertribal #sisterz A video posted by Chief Rock Enter-Tribal (@chiefrockmusic) on Feb 15, 2016 at 3:26am PST

Women’s Memorial March #DTES #Vancouver incredible women organizing for change https://t.co/9xllmU85Kn #MMIWG #MMIW pic.twitter.com/zx7ptqtGmy

— BWSS (@EndingViolence) February 15, 2016

Vancouver east’s awesome NDP MP Jenny Kwan supporting MMIW march today! #mmiw #solidarity pic.twitter.com/fmBT4hRrmk — Ruby Langan (@langanruby) February 15, 2016

Powerful march 2day 4 #Vancouver 26th #WomensMemorialMarch #mmiw #nomorestolensisters #idlenomore #cdnpoli #vanpoli pic.twitter.com/LoeACr0U4x

— FireThisTime (@FTT_np) February 15, 2016

#MMIW #vaw #NativeLivesMatter #vancouver #DTES pic.twitter.com/rq2XOLszjA — Anika Brandt (@AnikaMBrandt) February 15, 2016

#mmiw #Vancouver memorial march

A photo posted by Miranda (@mhuron1) on Feb 14, 2016 at 10:52pm PST

Thousand of #brothers and #sisters from all different walks of life came to support the #families of #missingandmurderedindigenouswomen today. #allwomenmatter #nativewomen #womensmemorialmarch #womensrights #mmiw #Vancouver #police #march A photo posted by PumpUpTheJamsBC (@ohcinderelly) on Feb 14, 2016 at 9:09pm PST

Do the women who started this March wonder where we are the rest of the year? How can we carry this honouring forward? At the 26th Annual Memorial March honouring missing and murdered Indigenous women. #mmiw #feb14 #vancouver

A photo posted by Jen (@jenmkuhl) on Feb 14, 2016 at 6:30pm PST

#MMIW A photo posted by shiana (@8eom8eom) on Feb 14, 2016 at 5:18pm PST

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