Photo Review -- February 19 to 29

Worldwide Actions Reiterate Demands
Hands Off Rafah! Ceasefire Now!

Ottawa, February 24

CANADA

National Capital Region

Close to 500 people converged in Ottawa on February 24 at 2:00 pm, in spite of it being one of the coldest days of winter to date, to stand with Palestine. People gathered at the Human Rights Monument where a spokesperson for the Palestinian Youth Movement spoke of how the Trudeau government authorized a minimum of $25 million in new military exports to Israel in two months of the genocide alone. He said:

"We stand here today, after 141 days of ongoing genocide, to demand an end to all arms exports to Israel permanently. The Canadian government is allowing the genocidal Zionist regime to continue to turn Gaza into a land of ash. Israel's genocidal campaign has extended its war crimes to starvation, as Gaza is facing the largest starvation crisis in the world with the help of Canada and the U.S. We are here to tell our government that we will not be silenced and that funding the terrorist Zionist genocidal regime is only going to make us louder. Today, I want you all to amplify your voices. We don't care how cold it is, let the Canadian government hear your voices of frustration, of anger, of sadness."

Demonstrators then marched, amidst a clamour of horns from drivers expressing their support, passing in front of the Prime Minister's office, and heading down the shopping area of Rideau Street and up to the U.S. Embassy, where Biden and the U.S. imperialists were loudly denounced for their wars of aggression which are spreading beyond Gaza. Chants of Hands Off Gaza! Hands Off Rafah! Hands Off Lebanon! Hands Off Yemen! Hands Off the Middle East! Biden, Your Armies Don't Scare Us! Biden, Biden, You Will See, Palestine Is Almost Free! echoed through the Byward Market.

February 23

February 24

February 26

Quebec

Quebec City

February 27, picket at Thales plant against military exports to Israel

Sherbrooke

February 25

Montreal

February 22

February 23

On February 25, close to a thousand people gathered at Champ-de-Mars, near the University of Montreal Hospital (CHUM), with their banners, placards and Palestinian flags.

A spokesperson for the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) denounced Canada's complicity in war crimes, stating, "The people of Gaza are facing new, life-threatening challenges every day beyond the bombing and beyond the shelling. It was not enough that the children of Gaza are dying under the rubble. It was not enough that the children of Gaza were dying as a result of military exports, they are now facing extreme hunger. The people of Gaza do not want to leave their homes. They do not want to leave their land because they know what happens when they do." She pointed in particular to the Trudeau government and to Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This department, led by Minister of Immigration Marc Miller, introduced special measures on January 9 to bring people from Gaza to Canada. She denounced the IRCC which "enforces the racist and unbelievable standards for these special measures. People are being asked to document all of their injuries and scars. They are being asked to provide a full personal history, since they were 16, and to provide all of their social media." She pointed out that these conditions are much more onerous than those imposed on refugee claimants from other countries.

A Quebecker of Palestinian descent also spoke to the crowd saying, "We have 12,000 Palestinian prisoners kidnapped by the same [Israeli] forces. We have kids, sisters, women, seniors, sick people among them." He decried that "How can we explain that with these violations of international laws and human rights, there has been no action until now?" He added that the Palestinian people "will never accept living without dignity."

Participants then marched downtown, met along the way with drivers honking their horns and passers-by waving in support of the Palestinian people. The march ended at Place du Canada with more speeches and chants. PYM organizers announced that there will be a national rally in support of Palestine on Saturday March 9 on Parliament Hill. It will be an important event, they said, and it is everyone's duty to come and bring ten people with them.

February 25

During the week of February 19, an English high school teacher employed by the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) at Lauren Hill Academy, in the Montreal borough of St-Laurent, posted a pro-Israeli statement on her social media account that incited violence against Palestinians. She shared a photo of one of her friends on Facebook in Israeli military attire, with the words, "You Go Girl ! Get in gear and get into Gaza." It is a flagrant violation of a teacher's professional standards to be neutral, inclusive, and most importantly to not call for violence. Rather than hold her accountable for her Facebook post, the administration at Lauren Hill Academy instead punished a Muslim student for speaking out against his teacher's incitement of violence.

On February 28, students and parents, along with Palestinian allies from the St-Laurent community, organized a rally and demonstration in front of Lauren Hill Academy. One of the organizers of the rally told the crowd assembled there that instead of defending this student, the school administration chose instead to silence students speaking out for justice and against genocide.

"Shame on Lauren Hill Academy for not holding this teacher accountable for her call for violence and genocide against the Palestinian people," said one of the organizers. "We're gathered here today as concerned parents, family members, community members, teachers, as all people of conscience, and students, most importantly, because we believe that our students deserve to be heard and they deserve to speak out against injustice", she said.

An Imam and parent of three students at Lauren Hill Academy addressed the crowd about the duty of parents to speak out and stand for the well-being of children by ensuring that schools are a safe and secure environment for students.

A parent from the Jewish community and member of Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) also spoke. She recalled that IJV is the "first national Jewish organization to endorse the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions [BDS] movement. We continue to support and defend BDS, as well as hold Canadian organizations accountable when complicit in Israeli oppression of Palestinians." "I am also here speaking as a parent of an elementary age child at an EMSB school [...] who is deeply concerned by the EMSB's extremely biased support of the Israeli state, not support of Jewish people, [...] from its Israeli flag-waving on all social media after October 7 to its reluctance to even mention the killing of Palestinian children in its public statements.

"In fact, after weeks of desperate attempts from parents, many of whom are Palestinian and [...] literally have family in Gaza, asking them just to take down the Israeli flag from their social media, begging them to even include Palestinians in the mention of suffering, pretty much begging for their kids to be seen as human at school ... The EMSB updates their Facebook after all of this to include this quote from [EMSB Director General] Joe Ortona, that 'we always ensure that our schools are inclusive spaces where everyone, whatever their race, whatever their religion is welcome and feels safe.'" she reported.

"So I ask, how is any child safe with a teacher who can casually and gleefully expresses her 'you -go -girl' support of a genocide without repercussions from you, her employer? How does harshly disciplining the students who protest this teacher make them safe? How are any children safe in this environment? To denounce Israel and to denounce Zionism is not anti-Semitism! To discipline a teacher, an adult responsible for our children for publicly cheering on a genocide is not anti-Semitism! Only cowards can hide behind this excuse.

"We are all here knowing that we are on the right side of history. We call on the EMSB to do the right thing. There is still time. We don't believe that teachers who are teaching this next generation should be allowed to post abhorrent and violent things on their social media calling for the genocide of the Palestinian people. [The EMSB should] discipline the teacher, withdraw the disciplinary measures against the students who spoke out, remove all of the biased content from their media, and also apologize."

She ended with the slogan: Free, Free Palestine!, to which the crowd answered back with chants such as: The Students United Will Never Be Defeated! From the Sea to the River – From the River to the Sea! Palestine Will Be Free ! What Do We Want? Justice! From the Classrooms to the Streets, We Speak Up for Our Beliefs! Say It Clear, Say It Loud, the Students Make Us Proud!

The organizers announced that there is a online petition circulating that has gathered close to 1,500 signatures, which demands the following from the Lauren Hill Academy and EMSB administrations:

1) to correctly discipline teachers that glorify violence in a time of global tragedy by dismissing the high school teacher who made a violent social media post;

2) to end all student repression;

3) the withdrawal of all biased disciplinary action against students;

4) the withdrawal of all pro-Israeli statements that have been published by EMSB; and

5) that Lauren Hill Academy ensures that their school is a safe, inclusive and non-racist environment, and that EMSB ensures that all its schools are a safe environment for students from any background to speak out against injustice.

As the students and others stood on the sidewalk and waved flags and chanted for close to two hours, local residents showed they stood in defence of the Palestinian people, with many cars passing by honking in support.

February 28

Ontario

Toronto

Over 600 people participated in a Town Hall meeting organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement and the Jews Say No to Genocide coalition in Toronto on February 23. Almost 400 people attended in person, filling the venue, the rest via Zoom.

Panelists addressed issues of persecution and harassment of pro-Palestinian activists and efforts to suppress and divert the movement in support of the Palestinian people's right to be, for a ceasefire and an end to the Israeli occupation, from the perspective of ensuring the people's unity and supporting those who face persecution. Before introducing the moderator and panelists, an organizer for Jews Say No to Genocide led everyone in loudly chanting, Who Keeps Us Safe? We Keep Us Safe! -- the spirit which pervaded the evening.

The panel was moderated by Dalia Awwad from the Palestinian Youth Movement. It was made up of Leora Smith, a human rights lawyer, Co-founder and Co-director of the Community Justice Collective; Zaid Zawaideh, an organizer with Toronto Palestinian Families; a representative of parents of children in the Toronto District School Board; Dr. Sabreena Ghaffar-Siddiqui, Professor of Sociology and Criminology; Dr. Jacquie, a Palestinian-Ukrainian medical student and resident; and Rabbi David Mivasair from Independent Jewish Voices.

Many examples were given of mistreatment by the health care and education systems of workers, youth and children of Palestinian nationality, or those taking stands to defend Palestine. Many Palestinian children in Toronto schools have been reprimanded and told they are not allowed to speak about their fears and concerns for family in Gaza. Academics, doctors and medical students have been disciplined and even fired for social media posts supporting the struggle of the Palestinian people. Art exhibitions and film showings have been cancelled due to pressure on venues from Zionist groups.

Discussion by the panel and questions from the audience focused on supporting and defending anyone who is persecuted and organizing collectively to combat all efforts to silence all those demanding justice for the Palestinian people, including combating media disinformation and police harassment. The evening ended with a "resource fair" which provided information from the organizers as well as information on campus, community and legal resources available to individuals and collectives.

Picket at Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland's office, February 20

February 26

Mississauga

Children create artwork in solidarity with children of Gaza, February 19

In Mississauga on February 25, more than two thousand people held a rally and march under the theme Gaza in Every City. People from across the Greater Toronto Area joined in the action. The main demands expressed in the slogans of the action were Ceasefire Now! Arms Embargo on Israel! and Lift the Siege on Gaza! and End the Genocide!

The action began at Celebration Square with short speeches, followed by non-stop chanting of slogans that went on for more than an hour. The continuous honking of horns from vehicles passing by expressed the broad support of Mississaugans for the Palestinian people and their heroic resistance against the Israeli occupation and genocide.

Members of the Palestine Youth Movement, Toronto for Palestine and others welcomed everyone and expressed the deep-felt sentiment that after 142 days of the siege on Gaza, the support of Canadians and the people worldwide for the Palestinian people has only grown and deepened. A member of the Orthodox Jewish community pointed out that Israel must be stopped in its tracks and that the genocide against the men, women and children in Gaza must end. He stated that there is no such thing as a Jewish homeland or a Jewish nation and that to claim such things is self-serving, dangerous and against the tenets of Judaism which is a religion of peace.

Following the rally, the participants marched for a distance of some two kilometres occupying the streets surrounding the Square One shopping complex. Slogans chanted included In Our Millions in Our Billions, We Are all Palestinians! From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free – From the Sea to the River Palestine Will Live Forever! Trudeau, Trudeau, Your Hands Are Red Sixteen-Thousand Children Dead! There Is Only One Solution, Intifada Revolution! This is Genocide! and many others.

February 25

Oakville

February 27

Sudbury

On February 24, for the third time in 11 days, citizens and residents of the City of Greater Sudbury held an action in opposition to the Zionist attacks on Palestine and in support of the Palestinian resistance. About 35 Sudburians participated in a roadside picket on the Kingsway just east of Silver Hills Drive. The theme was Everyone Out for Palestine! Many passing motorists honked their horns in support.

Several Palestinian flags and an Every Child Matters flag provided colour to the event. Participants carried placards saying Sudbury Stands With Palestine, Hands Off Rafah, No Arms for Israel, Fund UNWRA and One Humanity, One Struggle amongst others.

Supporters of these actions are organizing regular meetings to plan further actions and educational activities. A car rally is planned for March 9, to mark 150 days of resistance to Zionist genocide in Gaza.

February 19

February 25

Guelph

February 22

February 25

Kitchener

February 28

Windsor

On February 23, people took part in silent stands holding Palestinian flags, banners and signs at four high-traffic locations: on the Huron Church Road/Highway 401 overpass close to Ambassador Bridge to the U.S; by the downtown entrance to the Windsor-Detroit tunnel; the entrance to Devonshire Mall on Howard Avenue; and the corner of Tecumseh Road and Ouellette Avenue. All the groups remarked on the support they received from those driving by, with many truckers and others honking their horns, waving or giving them a thumbs-up.

On February 24 hundreds of residents from Windsor and Essex County attended the Gaza Will Rise exhibition, a project of the Women Movement 4 Palestine, a women's group committed to involving the Palestinian diaspora, amplifying the voices of the oppressed, and championing the struggle for freedom. The impactful exhibition incorporated props of different types, imagery, text and audiovisuals to educate visitors about current and pre-October 7 conditions of life in Gaza, as well as what a future, rebuilt Gaza City would look like in a liberated Palestine. Displays also portrayed life in other parts of Palestine before and after the Nakba of 1948 and highlighted the richness and beauty of Palestinian culture and craftsmanship.

The exhibition was hosted by Windsor4Palestine, with members of the Women Movement 4 Palestine, based in the Greater Toronto Area, also on hand to speak with visitors about their project and the need for an end to the occupation and for a free Palestine.