Several dozen demonstrators in support of the Palestinian cause gathered Monday evening in front of the Holocaust Museum in Montreal to oppose the holding of a conference by Israeli soldiers. The rally outraged the Advisory Center for Jewish and Israeli Relations and Federation CJA, which represents Jews in the Montreal area.
At the passage of The Press At the end of the evening, the pro-Palestinian demonstrators formed a crowd of around 200 people in front of the emblematic building on Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine. They chanted slogans and shouted after leaders with megaphones.
According to a post on the X Network by Independent Jewish Voices Canada, the demonstration was organized to oppose a conference held by Israeli army soldiers.
“At this moment, soldiers of the Israeli Defense Forces are speaking at the Montreal Holocaust Museum,” wrote on X Independent Jewish Voices. “It promotes Israel’s agenda while it continues to commit genocide against the Palestinians. It is shameful to welcome perpetrators of ethnic cleansing in a place intended to honor the victims of genocide. »
This public outing followed the denunciation on the same social network of the demonstration by the Advisory Center for Jewish and Israeli Relations. “An aggressive and physically intimidating crowd surrounds one of the central buildings of the Jewish community in Côte-des-Neiges,” the Advisory Center for Jewish and Israeli Relations (CIJA) reported on X shortly before 8 p.m. Monday.
“The demonstrators block access to the building and harass those who try to enter. This is not a question of political views or foreign conflict, it is intentional intimidation of Montreal Jews,” denounced the organization. The publication was relayed by Federation CJA, which represents the Jews of Montreal.
A gathering during hours
The Montreal City Police Service (SPVM) confirmed Monday evening that the demonstration would take place. At the end of the evening, the event was still in progress and no assessment from the authorities had been made, indicated Caroline Chèvrefils, media relations officer for the SPVM.
A large security perimeter was established by the SPVM, which kept traffic away from the area delimited by Westbury and Mountain Sights avenues, to the east and west of the museum. The latter is also located next to the Cummings Center, an important cultural and sports center of the Jewish community of Montreal.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
A smaller crowd of pro-Israel counter-protesters, estimated at around 100 people, was kept at bay by a police cordon.
Demonstrators with Palestinian flags were seen from 6 p.m. in the Villa-Maria metro area, not far from the perimeter of the demonstration.
It was not possible Monday evening to confirm whether an event was being held at the museum or the Cummings Center. No conferences were planned in the online calendars of the two establishments.
An event canceled at Concordia on Monday
This demonstration coincides with the cancellation on Monday of a conference organized by a group of Israeli Concordia students, Startup Nation. Three Israeli defense soldiers were expected on campus to speak about the “fight against the delegitimization of Israel,” according to the student newspaper The Link.
One of the invited soldiers, Aby Volcovich, had previously claimed in a video posted on Instagram that the Palestinian children targeted by the Israeli army were “terrorists”.
The meeting was ultimately canceled due to pressure from within the university.
With information from Yann Pineau, The Press