Hundreds of supporters showed their support for Samar Elkahlout Tuesday morning at the Montreal courthouse. The Palestinian mother, who lost a child in Gaza last January, is accused of criminal harassment and mischief against the federal Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Marc Miller.
Inside the courthouse, more than a hundred M supportersme Elkahlout was also present. All those who were turned away from the small courtroom where she appeared to challenge her bail conditions peacefully demonstrated their support on the third floor.
The event that led to the charges of criminal harassment and mischief occurred last Thursday during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in front of a federal Liberal Party campaign office in Verdun, located on Hickson Street, according to what Samar Elkhalout’s lawyer, Ms.e Barbara Bedont. Information confirmed by the Montreal Police Department (SPVM).
“As Minister Miller was about to get out of his car, Mr.me Elkhalout called out to him. She said: Shame on you! You are a genocidal politician, you killed my daughter, that kind of thing, summarizes M.e Bedont. But his two assistants filed a complaint against Mr.me Elkhalout as well as Mohanned Mansour and Wendy Ing, who were with her.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Samar Elkahlout, last January
What’s happening in Gaza right now is unbelievable, so being angry at this point is legitimate.
Samar Elkhalout, in a video broadcast on Instagram
According to Véronique Dubuc, media relations officer at the SPVM, “the protesters surrounded the car, tried to open the doors and damaged the vehicle.” The three protesters surrendered to police Monday morning after receiving an arrest warrant.
According to M’s storye Bedont said the conditions of the co-defendants’ release were “contrary to freedom of expression.” “The prosecutor wanted to prevent them from demonstrating outside Mr. Miller’s offices or posting messages on social media related to Mr. Miller.”
As the three co-accused contested these conditions, they spent the night in custody. Hence the hearing on Tuesday, following which these conditions were dropped pending trial. The charges of criminal harassment and mischief are however maintained by the State, even if Me Bedont hopes that they will also be abandoned.
“We have video evidence and several witnesses who were present, so we are ready if they want to pursue this matter,” she insists.
Died of malnutrition and lack of care
The story of Samar Elkahlout, who also uses her maiden name, Alkhdour, made headlines last January following the death in Gaza of her 13-year-old daughter Jana, who suffered from cerebral palsy and whom the family had been trying to repatriate for several months.me Elkahlout had been lobbying the Trudeau government since last October, to no avail.
The government finally approved the family reunification… two weeks after his death, last January.
The Palestinian girl died of malnutrition. Her grandparents, who were caring for her but who were fleeing the Israeli army’s all-out bombardment in northern Gaza, were unable to provide her with the medicine and specialized food she needed, the Elkahlout family told the media.1.
Minister Miller reacts
Asked about the criminal harassment allegations, Minister Marc Miller, who was in Nanaimo, British Columbia, on Tuesday, insisted that he had not personally filed a complaint, even though he is named as one of the victims in the complaint.
PHOTO DARRYL DYCK, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller
“Of course people have the right to protest peacefully, especially with the disaster in Gaza, emotions are running high. This person lost her daughter, so I understand the frustration. But people have to protest legally. And in this case, my staff felt attacked by some people, so we’re going to let justice do its job.”
Last April, Samar Elkahlout organized sit in daily demonstrations outside the offices of the federal Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship calling on the Canadian government to improve its plan to welcome and reunify Canadian-Palestinian families who still have loved ones stuck in Gaza.
Since then, Samar Elkahlout has participated in numerous pro-Palestinian demonstrations linked to the conflict with Israel and denounced the government’s inaction both in the matter of arming the Hebrew state and the reunification of Canadian-Palestinian families.
With the collaboration of Mélanie Marquis, The Press
1. Read the column “Dying in Gaza while waiting for a decision from Ottawa” by Rima Elkouri