The federal government's announcement that beginning January 15, truckers crossing into Canada would need to be fully vaccinated or commit to a two-week quarantine sparked outrage and resulted in the "Freedom Rally" protest on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on January 24.

As the protests continue, women of colour speaking out against the social and political triage that favours white nationalism face backlash from right-wing extremist groups.

For Selam Debs, a Black Ethiopian anti-race educator, it’s obvious what these rallies stand for. “The conversation between anti-vax, anti-COVID, anti-mandates, and freedom rallies are tied together by white people collectively angry over equity prioritized in education, legislation, and community organizing,” says Debs.

Debs took to Instagram to voice her thoughts about the link between racist rhetoric and white male power, stating, “And these “Freedom Rallies” across so-called Canada and so-called North America are really just the fights of white men fearing the loss of power.”

The loss of power in their eyes looks different in ours. As a racialized community, their freedom has not been taken away. Instead, COVID-19 has forced us all to give up some privileges, which we can arguably say we’ve never fully had. Those that benefit from the system, when put in a place of sacrificing a couple of weeks, wearing a mask in public areas, or taking a vaccine that can help in the long run, things are suddenly “unfair.”

According to a study from the Institute of Strategic Dialogue (ISD) on right-wing extremism In Canada, the number of active groups has doubled if not tripled throughout 2017 and 2018. The report explains that engagement for right-wing Canadian extremists on right-wing platforms tops other countries like the U.S. and U.K.

“As it matches trends also observed on Iron March, which highlighted that Canadians were more likely to use the platform than individuals based in the U.K. and U.S.—demonstrating the extent of Canadian engagement with RWE causes online.”

For mainstream social channels like Twitter, the study found that 6,352 Canadian users had made at least one right-wing extremist post in 2019. In a statement on Instagram, Debs said she received thousands of violent and racist messages that initiated her to file a police report but assured that she would not remain silent.

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With sights of confederate flags and swastika symbols, an indication of right-wing extremists movements, Debs said we’re starting to see Trumpism here in Canada and the notion of “Making Canada Great Again.” Of course, we haven’t forgotten that it’s been a year since the January 6 Capitol insurrectionists who gained a disproportionate amount of screen time and a slap on the wrist compared to the consequences of Black and Indigenous rioters.

Fast forward to “freedom rallies” covering the city of Ottawa, and conservative members are condoning behaviours, meeting with protestors, and donating to the rally. Again, news coverage on this angle reaffirms that white voices and bodies matter more than the experiences of racialized communities.

Joy Henderson, an Afro-Indigenous child and youth practitioner, says we would never be able to hold up Ottawa without bodies on the ground. She took her thoughts to a column in the Toronto Star, where she talked about the stark differences between what racialized peoples protest for and the criminalization that happens when we do.

Treatment and surveillance look different towards Indigenous protestors fighting back for their land, Black protesters fighting against racial carding and policing, and Muslim protestors fighting against Islamophobia-driven attacks.

People have stooped low to drive the notorious and tiresome argument of comparing white-driven protests to Black Lives Matter protests despite the clear difference. So let’s stop and think for a moment. Black Lives Matter focuses on challenging systemic forces about dehumanizing racialized peoples globally. Black people demand not to be killed over items as simple as a hoodie, cellphone, snacks, money, CDs, and more. Black people demand not to be killed over daily human activities like walking, standing, and sleeping. We are not the same and never will be.

“You don't see a lot of white people coming out saying, ‘let's see both sides’ or ‘let's talk about the nuances’.” There is no nuance once they pull out Nazi flags; all discussion for nuance is over,” says Henderson.

Following her column, Henderson took to Twitter to show her hate mail. Threats and violence follow predominantly Black and Indigenous women who speak on these issues. Advising her fellow women of colour, Henderson says, “Make sure you have your community behind you.” She adds that if you have an article out, mute it and expect blowback.

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“There's a tendency in this country and in this society to normalize the hate of violence, the microaggressions, and the racism that we experience daily,” says Debs. However, Debs advises racialized people not to normalize this backlash. “We need to advocate for legislation and policies and demand that our elected officials pay attention to the growing threats of white supremacy, extremism, and how it's increased by over 300%,” she adds.

She points out that these stats are considered a public health crisis. “We should not have to live through that trauma. We deserve to feel dignity, to feel safe, to feel belonging, and to feel like we can create braver and safer spaces that allow black communities to thrive. And right now, with the hate that I've seen, for so many Black women and friends talking out about the convoy, I think that it's unethical that we have to go through this alone,” explains Debs.

It’s difficult to staple a solution to systemic racism. Still, a good start would be addressing white supremacy as a threat and mandating policies that garner real consequences and dismantle white supremacy. This trucker convoy should be a wake-up call to Canada to protect the lives of those who are often collateral damage in the fight against white nationalism.