Student Protester: Ashamed to be a Miramichier (video)

A group of students from MVHS took to the street in front of City Hall to protest what they saw as a homophobic move by City Council.  Students carry flags and posters marched along Henry Street chanting slogans like "Gay is OK".   (see video below)

Across the street in the park, a large Sochi Pride Flag was painted on the snowbank.

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The students said they thought the council was trying to avert controversy, but instead made it worse by the way they handled it.

On Monday night Councilor Peggy McLean made a motion to fly the pride flag in front of city hall in support of people who were being discriminated against in Russia, the host country of the Winter Olympics.  Council voted 4-2 in favour of Mayor Gerry Cormier's motion to table the motion until the city could formulate a flag policy.

Councillor Shelly Williams, who chaired the meeting and did not vote, said that a few years ago a request was made to fly an organization's flag at City Hall.  At the time, council met and voted not to allow it.  "In the years since then, nothing has been done to come up with a policy," Williams said.

One of the students said that Miramichi is one of the few places not to fly the flag, and it makes her ashamed to be from here.

When asked if other students in her school felt the same way, she said they did.

"Most were probably scared to get in trouble for coming down here and skipping class.  But this is more important than French class," she said.

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