Protest about 'Redmen' thwarted at Saskatoon high school

A group of Idle No More protesters says it was blocked from entering a high school basketball tournament last weekend by Saskatoon police.

On Saturday, Bedford Road student Storm Night and about 30 others had planned to stage a protest at the finals of the Bedford Road Invitational Tournament — one of the largest high school basketball tournaments in the country.

The protest concerned the Bedford Road Redmen, a team name with an old logo that some people think is racist. Aboriginal people, in particular, have taken offence at a logo that shows a First Nations man with a red face.

The protest was thwarted, however, because a group of police and teachers blocked the door and many of the protesters were sent away.

"I was really hurt, because this is my school, and the way they treated us, we're just trying to stand up for something we think is right," Night said.

However, Saskatoon public school officials say nothing was done wrong.

Director of education Avon Whittles says there were rumors a large demonstration would flood the event and they wanted to make sure everyone was safe.

"My primary concern for Bedford is safety of our students and our community, and also that there's a big basketball tournament going on," Whittles said.

Meanwhile, officials have no plans to change the logo.