By Don Urquhart, Times-Chronicle

Addressing the B.C. Legislature by video this afternoon, Roly Russell, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen called on protesters to immediately condemn the “hateful and racist” behaviour that was directed at students at Oliver’s secondary school last Friday by those aligned with the so-called ‘freedom convoy’.

“I believe that the vast majority of protesters do not support hateful and racist behaviour so today I call upon those of you aligned with the protests to actively, unambiguously and immediately condemn this kind of behaviour wherever and whenever it occurs,” Russell said.

“There’s a right time and place to protest. There’s never a time nor a place for hate and racism,” he added.

He went on to say that these current challenges are “brought upon us in the purported name of freedom, they are in fact individuals expressing selfish desires to sustain their own wants even if and when they come at the expense of our collective freedoms and mental or physical health.”

Russell also expressed the hope that within the B.C. Legislature, “we are in unambiguous consensus that our schools should be safe places where everyone feels safe comfortable and free to be themselves.”

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From a provincial perspective, Russell said he’s thankful for the attorney general’s bringing forward the bill, alongside the support of House, last Autumn to enact ‘bubble zone’ legislation to prohibit protests around schools and hospitals.

He urged people to check their own biases and behaviour and “recalibrate how we assess, react and respond” when confronted with hate and racism. “We all need to work to eliminate the space for hate and I’m very proud of the courage and conviction these students carry.”

He also cited a quote posted online by a student from Desmond Tutu, South African anti-apartheid and human rights activist: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice you have chosen the side to the oppressor.”