Some lost their entire family. Others are unable to contact their loved ones. On Saturday, hundreds of crying and angry demonstrators gathered in downtown Montreal to protest against Israeli strikes which left hundreds dead in a few days in Lebanon.
Some 700 demonstrators, according to estimates by the authorities on site, gathered in downtown Montreal, in front of the American consulate, around 2 p.m.
“My husband lost his whole family in Lebanon, everyone,” revealed with tears in his eyes a demonstrator, Rana Hatie, who also lost cousins in the Middle East because of the conflict in Gaza. “I stopped counting them. »
There, dozens of war-worn protesters cried and hugged each other, worried about the fate of their loved ones.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Demonstrators encouraged participants to make donations to support the Lebanese.
“All communications are cut with Lebanon,” said one of the demonstrators at the head of the group, who has no idea if his loved ones are safe there.
On September 23 and 24, Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah left at least 569 people dead, including 50 children. The powerful Beirut-based group was born in 1982, in response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon.
“Beirut, Beirut, we are here, we will not let you die,” chanted the demonstrators at the corner of Peel and Sainte-Catherine streets, who waved flags of both Palestine and Lebanon.
Hezbollah leader dies
On Saturday morning, Hezbollah confirmed the death of its leader, Hassan Hasrallah, who was killed by the Israeli army the day before near Beirut. The leader was an ally of several Palestinian groups, and his death only increased tensions on the Israeli-Lebanese border.
“Today we lost an important figure in the liberation of the Palestinians,” said one of the organizers of the demonstration in a speech before taking to the streets of Montreal. “A man dies, his ideas remain”, could we read on numerous placards bearing the image of Hassan Hasrallah, held at arm’s length by several demonstrators on Saturday.
After crossing Sainte-Catherine Street West, the demonstration concluded in front of the Israeli consulate, shortly after 5 p.m.
October 7 will mark the first anniversary of the conflict in Gaza, and the deadly attacks perpetrated by Hamas in Israel.