Photo Review -- January 12 to 20

Worldwide Actions Stand with Palestine for More Than 100 Days

U.S. National March for Palestine, Washington, DC, January 13, 2024

CANADA

National Capital Region

On Monday, January 15, at 3:30 pm, more than 500 people gathered at the Human Rights Monument in downtown Ottawa to mark the 100th day of Israeli genocide against the Palestinian people. Organizers made a point of acknowledging the courage of South Africa which has brought Israel before the International Court of Justice, as well as that of the world's people, by affirming: "When Gaza called, South Africa answered! When Gaza called, Yemen answered! When Gaza called, WE answered!"

Organizers denounced Canada's complicity which has extended to supporting the illegal bombing of Yemen by U.S. and UK forces, in retaliation for its actions to stop the Zionist terrorist regime from eradicating Palestine. Not only is Canada, along with Western imperialist powers, encouraging the pursuit of Israel's genocidal policies, it is supporting and funding it. "Genocide Justin claims that he is concerned with the rising violence in Gaza but denies South Africa's case before the International Court of Justice against Israel. How can you claim to be humanitarian when you are denying a genocide case against a terrorist State?" they asked.

Organizers also stated that in spite of all the destruction caused by the Israeli occupation, Palestine's power exists in resistance and resistance is one step closer to freedom. "They will not destroy the powerful faith in Gaza and in the West Bank. In the past 100 days, the Zionist genocidal project has expanded. We will not passively watch the genocide continue and spread throughout the rest of the Middle East."

People then took to the streets and marched to the Israeli Embassy where they stopped and listened to a report given by rabbis from Montreal and New York. The delegation had just been to The Hague to express its support to South Africa at the International Court of Justice.

January 15

Halifax

On January 14, another pro-Palestine demonstration was held in Victoria Park at 3:00 pm. From the start of the demonstration news was circulating that the Halifax police were going to start enforcing a "noise bylaw" to prevent demonstrators from using sound equipment including loudspeakers. It is typical for Canada to use bylaws to silence and criminalize protest. So too, in an attempt to show support for Zionist Israel, at 10:30 am a group of Zionists had organized at the Public Gardens. The Zionists were using sound equipment without any objection from the police but the Palestinians and their supporters who organized a counter demonstration across the street in Victoria Park were told that they couldn't use theirs. They told the police that they would not turn down their sound until the police ordered the Zionists to turn down their sound. The police actions make it clear that it is the voices of opposition to Israeli genocide that they want to silence.

January 14

A car caravan comprised of more than 40 vehicles gathered in Bedford, Nova Scotia to demonstrate support for the people of Palestine, promotion of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions and to denounce the horrific crimes of the Israeli Zionists. The caravan drove through Bedford and much of Halifax ending at the top of Citadel Hill where a huge Palestinian flag was draped. Speakers and voices broadcast "Free Free Palestine," "Occupation is a crime," and many others.

January 20

Quebec

Rimouski

January 14

Montreal

On the cold and bitter afternoon of January 14, over 1,500 people gathered in downtown Montreal with Palestinian flags and placards to denounce the 100 days of genocide committed by Israel against the Palestinian people.

One of the spokespersons from the Palestinian Youth Movement said to the crowd, “It's been 100 days of watching as the political leaders of the world not only give Israel impunity, but actually profit from the genocide. One hundred days of children being orphaned, of mothers being widowed, of fathers being murdered, and of bloodlines being obliterated. But it has also been 100 days and 75 years of our people fighting back against the occupation.

"In the past 100 days, we've seen the hypocrisy of the so-called democratic countries. We've seen our people confront and humiliate the so-called democratic countries in the world. In the past 100 days, we've seen prisoners get liberated.

"In the past 100 days, Gaza has shown the entire world [..] what liberation looks like. And the brave people of Gaza have shown us that there is no price that is too high for liberation and for dignity at any cost and by any means necessary.

"And to everyone here, [..] it's calling for the free people of the West to stand up and not be part of this imperial war machine. We will no longer allow those in power to kill for profit.

"We will no longer allow genocide to happen with complete impunity [...] and we will fight with you right here in the belly of the beast until justice prevails and until the entire world is free from Zionism.”

Other speakers addressed the crowd in the same vein, after which participants headed towards the U.S. consulate where more speeches were given.

The march ended in front of Quebec Premier François Legault’s offices, with yet more speakers denouncing his government's pro-Israeli stand and its silence regarding the genocide taking place in Gaza and demanding that he take a stand in favour of a ceasefire.

January 14

Starting at noon of January 20, hundreds of people gathered at La Fontaine Park to take part in a caravan of cars in support of the Palestinian people. Around 200 vehicles, adorned with Palestinian flags of all sizes and placards denouncing Israel's genocide in Gaza and calling for an immediate ceasefire, drove through the city streets. A group of cyclists even showed up in the bitter cold with their Palestinian flags to follow the caravan. All along the route, from Sherbrooke Street in the eastern part of the city to the Israeli consulate downtown, the caravan was greeted by passers-bys, other motorists, and by residents stepping out onto their balconies to wave a hand, or a Palestinian flag, or to bang pots.

As the caravan arrived at the Israeli consulate, the street facing its entrance was blocked off by Montreal police to prevent any of the cars from approaching the building.

The action ended with the organizers thanking everyone for their presence and calling upon one and all to gather again the next day, January 21, at 2:00 pm for the weekly march in downtown Montreal in support of Palestine.

January 20

Ontario

North Bay

January 13

Toronto

January 14

Windsor

One hundred days of Israel's genocidal rampage in Gaza was marked in Windsor on January 14 with a militant action that proclaimed We are All Palestinian!

During the march, on a busy section of Tecumseh Road in the city's east side, the flags of South Africa, Lebanon, Yemen and other countries that have declared their support for South Africa's case against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) could be seen flying high alongside Palestinian flags. Flags representing their national heritage were carried by some people as well, an expression of the support the Palestinian cause enjoys among the peoples of the world. Among the chants shouted during the march were Thank you South Africa! Thank you Lebanon! Thank you Yemen! and In Our Thousands, in Our Millions, We Are All Palestinians!

The main speech at the rally that opened the action was given by a young worker active with Windsor4Palestine. He said his Irish ancestors who struggled through starvation, colonization and occupation under settler colonial and imperial oppression were screaming through him now that "This happened before and it shall not happen again." He spelled out some of the many crimes Israel has committed in its one hundred days of genocide. Those crimes, he said -- and having watched the U.S. representative's hand quiver while vetoing multiple calls for a ceasefire at the UN, and lawyers for Israel fumbling through their arguments at the ICJ -- made him wonder how such wickedness could be allowed to continue. "When facing such evil structures and the people behind them," he said, "it becomes our duty as humans to build a resistance made up of people who live and breathe righteousness."

In that respect, the experience of coming together with so many people of all ages around the shared commitment to the call for a free Palestine, he said, was reason to "believe in us, and that this is the world actually awakening in a united front against all systems of oppression. This is the regeneration of the human spirit. This is revolution," he declared.

January 14

Alberta

Calgary

The Calgary Global Day of Action for Gaza event held on January 13,was co-hosted by the newly founded Calgary Palestinian Council (CPC), Justice for Palestinians and Independent Jewish Voices.

The event, planned as a rally, was moved inside to the CommunityWise Centre due to extreme freezing temperatures. The indoor session was lively, with speakers from the sponsoring organizations as well as others who spoke during the open mic session, and discussion amongst everyone about the need for an immediate ceasefire and to stop the murderous genocide that the Israeli Zionists are committing against the Palestinian people. Following a short break, many people participated in a letter writing session.

Sustained applause broke out when the moderator and organizer for Justice for Palestinians Wesam Khaled, announced the founding of the CPC and encouraged everyone to support it. He then invited one of CPC's members, Shadi Aboud, to speak. After raising that it is the responsibility of his generation to organize solidarity with Palestine, Shadi said: "I want to speak about Bahrain. Bahrain is an outpost for the U.S. military and is also involved in the aggression against Yemen. I wanted to bring this up because they and other countries are a microcosm of what is happening around the world, where the gap between the citizens and the governments is growing. When you look at, for example, what is happening in the U.S. -- I have been part of Palestinian activism for 20 years and I have never seen anything like this. In Bahrain they are protesting in the streets and their government is actively engaging in war. It is quite amazing to see. We are not alone. We are part of this global movement and I think the future is with us."

In a post on their Facebook page, put up shortly after the January 13 Global Day of Action for Gaza, the CPC said the following;

"We praise South Africa for their powerful and compelling case for genocide at the International Court of Justice, while calling on the Canadian government to support the South African effort.

"We appreciate the people of Yemen and their stand with Palestine and calling for an end to the siege in Gaza. We condemn the USA and UK complicity in the genocides happening in the region and their bombardment of Yemen."

The spokesperson for Calgary Independent Jewish Voices, as always, stood firmly with the Palestinian people and their right to be and condemned the lies being perpetrated by the Zionists to create support for their crimes in Canada and around the world.

During the open mic session people emphasized that the Canadian government has responsibility to provide support and financial assistance to Gazans coming to Canada. Several condemned the bombing of Yemen and Lebanon and spoke about the advances made by the resistance.

This was a very successful event, where the issue of what kinds of actions and events are needed was put on the agenda for discussion so as to continue to be effective in standing with Palestine.

January 13

British Columbia

Abbotsford

January 20

Vancouver

January 12

UNITED STATES

Washington DC

On January 13, a U.S. National March for Gaza took place in Washington, DC with more than 400,000 people participating, travelling from across the U.S. to take part. Buses were chartered from Chicago, Boston, New York, Ohio, Florida and many other areas. The action demanded the Biden administration Stop This Genocide! The march was organized by the American Muslim Task Force for Palestine in conjunction with other organizations.

One of the participating organizations in its callout for the rally stated, "It is up to us, the people of this country, to rise up against war crimes and crimes against humanity that are being carried out in our name. We are joining with the truly global movement that has arisen in recent weeks against genocide, occupation and apartheid."