“Solidarity with Palestine! » Thousands of people are demonstrating this Friday in downtown Montreal to show their support for the Palestinian people.
The meeting point for the demonstration has been set at the Guy-Concordia metro station. The marchers are now gathered in front of the Israeli Consulate General, protected by numerous riot police. “Solidarity with Palestine” chanted the demonstrators. “Free Palestine!” »
PHOTO CHARLES WILLIAM PELLETIER, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Fireworks were launched, but the demonstration went smoothly. Sanura Bendjaber came with her husband and two children. “We cannot remain silent when we see the bombings that have been going on for seven days,” said the woman of Algerian origin. She cites the water and electricity cuts affecting the Gaza Strip.
PHOTO CHARLES WILLIAM PELLETIER, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
” It is unfair. We are against violence. I am for humanity,” she said.
Also of Algerian origin, Yasmine and Yousra also came to show their support for the Palestinian people. “We support the cause of Palestine, which has been bombed every year for 75 years,” says Yousra.
PHOTO CHARLES WILLIAM PELLETIER, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
The demonstration takes place under heavy police surveillance. From the outset, organizers called on demonstrators not to interact with counter-protesters who might be in their path.
The Montreal Police Service (SPVM) says that it is always “in surveillance mode when major international issues are likely to have echoes in its territory of jurisdiction”, but is stingy with details on the number of police officers deployed as part of this event.
Among the participants in this demonstration are members of the group “Independent Jewish Voices-Montreal”. In particular, we denounce the order given by Israel to evacuate all civilians from Gaza.
“We understand that it is impossible to leave Gaza,” said its spokesperson Niall Clapham Ricardo.
Former provincial MP and doctor Amir Khadir denounced the comments made earlier this week by the Prime Minister. François Legault judged that it was “shameful” and “unacceptable” to hold a pro-Palestinian demonstration the day after Hamas attacks in Israel.
PHOTO CHARLES WILLIAM PELLETIER, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Niall Clapham Ricardo, of Independent Jewish Voices-Montreal, Norma Rantisi, of Scholars for Palestine, and Amir Khadir.
François Legault missed another opportunity to remain silent. The demonstrators were there to say that in all of this, there is an injustice which is at the root of all this violence and that we must get to the root of the problems.
Amir Khadir
Warnings from politicians
Earlier in the day, Friday, federal, provincial and territorial ministers of Justice and Public Safety warned that no incitement to hatred will be tolerated during demonstrations in support of Gaza and the Palestinians.
Canada’s Minister of Public Safety, Dominic LeBlanc, said he had been in contact with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in anticipation of these demonstrations.
His Quebec counterpart, François Bonnardel, agreed in the same vein: “The right to demonstrate is protected by our laws, but we are not going to tolerate any [incitation] violence or hatred during these demonstrations.
According to official reports, the war left nearly 3,200 dead on both sides.
With Mélanie Marquis, The Press