There were prayers, family gratitude for all the community support, more tears and more reminders of the injustices Aboriginal people must continue to fight. "So that it doesn't happen to someone else", said Anthany Dawson's aunt Yvon.

More than 75 people gathered for a memorial for Anthany Dawson whose mysterious death in 1999 prompted demands for a full public inquiry in Victoria.

Before walking to Oak Bay and Davies retracing Anthany's walk, the Stadacona Park gathering heard the family renew their claims that excessive use of force by police contributed to Anthany's death when they apprehended him two years ago. A coroner's inquest revealed that at least eight people saw a motrocycle cop hit Anthany during efforts to restrain him.

However, the inquest report and recommendations did not address the family's concerns about police brutality and claims they used force because Anthany was a Native person.

One of those attending the memorial, Rose Henry an Aboriginal community representative to the UN's conference on racism plans to take Anthany's story to the South African gathering later this month.

Meanwhile, the BC Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner has completed an investigation into allegations of brutality and racism by the Victoria city police and the report is expected to be released to the public in the fall of 2001.