Bilingual ‘Black Lives Matters’ street message highlights Montreal artists

MONTREAL — The global protests spurred by George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis are taking a colourful form in Montreal on Wednesday as some 20 artists are painting a giant ‘Black Lives Matters’ message down a city street.

The project, which covers an entire block of the Gay Village neighbourhood, was inspired by those in other cities, but has taken on a distinctive Montreal flair.

Organizer Carla Beauvais says that in order to get permission from the city, the group had to agree to make the message mostly in French, with a smaller English translation underneath.

However, she sees the decision as a positive one, because it highlights the diversity of the movement to denounce racism and inequality.

Beauvais says the work was created by community groups and local artists, who are being encouraged to express themselves through the colourful designs they paint within the letters.

She hopes it will help start a conversation about the disparities that still exist in society and how to change them.