London's mayor is speaking out in advance of a planned rally by an anti-Islam group.
Pegida Canada London, also known as Patriots of Canada Against the Islamization of the West, plans to hold a demonstration outside London city hall on Saturday. The group is calling it the "We Value Our Culture #Freedom Rally."
Pegida Canada's Facebook page says the group's mission is to "protect and preserve the democratic freedoms that our country was founded upon."
But a statement from Mayor Matt Brown's office released Tuesday is much more blunt in its description of the group, referring to a "planned white supremacist/nationalist rally at City Hall on August 26, 2017."
Brown's statement calls on Londoners to stand up to bigotry.
"Our community is incredibly diverse and comprised of people of all different backgrounds. Each and every one of us are created equal and we each possess unique traits and talents that are to be respected," it reads. "Unfortunately, we here in London are not immune to the divisive political discourse over race and white supremacy occurring south of the border. This is why we must take a stand against all forms of racism, bigotry and hatred. White supremacy and nationalist ideologies threaten the security of our community and entirely undermines our commitment to foster a safe and inclusive environment for everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation."
The full statement can be read here.
