When Rahul Bali started high school in Calgary in 2004, he couldn’t believe some Canadians were so ignorant about people from other countries.
He couldn’t understand why his peers thought people from India couldn’t speak English, but he laughed it off.
This Saturday, he will be laughing it off again as an Alberta-based white supremacist group known as the Aryan Guard rallies at city hall.
“Over time, they will realize how they are reducing their own boundaries and possibility to be flexible in society,” Bali said.
The Calgary Anti-Racist Action group (of which Bali is not a member) plans to counter-protest, saying Calgary will not tolerate racism or white supremacist groups. The anti-racism group intends to be non-violent, but confrontational.
“These people should not be getting a free ride in Calgary,” said Jason Devine, a spokesperson for the anti-racism group.
“We never call on people to physically assault the Aryan Guard, but we say don’t be afraid to confront them if you feel safe and you have the numbers. All they do is engage in violence. These people are a threat to the community — let them know they’re not accepted here.”
Last year on the same day, over 200 anti-racism protesters confronted 40 Aryan Guard supporters, says Devine. It ended with police forced to bring in a school bus to safely escort the neo-Nazis from the scene.
Members of the Aryan Guard did not reply to interview requests by Metro’s deadline, but their website says the march is not intended as discriminatory towards any group, and is intended to promote a celebration of their European culture, heritage and ancestry.
They are also banning members from bringing Nazi paraphernalia or discriminatory signs and consuming alcohol at or prior to the event.
