Photo Review of Worldwide Actions March 10 to 17

Ottawa, March 16

CANADA

National Capital Region

In Ottawa on March 13, an action was held as part of the Stop the World for Gaza Global Day of Action. People gathered at the Human Rights Monument and marched up Laurier Avenue, stopping at and blocking the intersection at Laurier Avenue and Nicholas Street to denounce the atrocities of the Zionist entity as it intensified its torture and forced starvation of the Palestinian people as Ramadan started. They also denounced Canada's complicity in the genocide and reiterated that people of conscience refuse to be complicit in these crimes and called for an immediate ceasefire, an end to the genocide and an arms embargo against Israel.

March 13

Two days later on March 16, for the 23rd consecutive week since the beginning of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, close to 3,000 people marched once again through the streets of Ottawa. Families with their children, the youth and the elderly, all marched with the firm conviction that their voices matter and that justice for Palestine must and will prevail.

At the Human Rights Monument, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Youth Movement said: "For the past 160 days, we have witnessed a genocide that has taken the lives of over 30,000 Palestinians and we know that the number is closer to 40,000, as bodies are still stuck under the rubble. Just this week, we witnessed yet another 'flour massacre' in which Zionist forces opened fire on Palestinians waiting for aid. These war crimes are being broadcast for the whole world to see, while western governments, our government, continue to turn a blind eye and continue to aid and abet this genocide."

He reminded every one of the unwavering resilience and strength of Palestinians, who continue to resist and fight for their freedom, for their rights, for their pride and their dignity. He went on to say: "We gather here to take up our role in the Palestinian liberation struggle to demand action and stand against Zionism, right here on Turtle Island. We as Palestinians of the diaspora are not just in solidarity with our siblings back home in Palestine, we are fighting on another front here in the heart of the empire, in the belly of the beast. We have a responsibility to the people of Gaza who pay the highest price and the greatest sacrifice for our collective liberation. We demand a permanent ceasefire, we demand the full withdrawal of Zionist forces from Gaza, an end to the 17 year-long siege on Gaza, and the full liberation of our people, of our land and a free Palestine from the river to the sea."

He ended by saying: "This Monday [March 18], a motion will be presented in the House of Commons calling for an arms embargo on Israel. That's why it's crucial that we all hold our own MPs accountable and that we demand that they support this motion."

March 16

Nova Scotia

Halifax

On March 16, over 400 youth, students, and workers gathered at the Garrison grounds in Halifax to mobilize, discuss the ongoing genocide in Palestine, and march through the streets to demand a ceasefire and an end to the occupation and genocide in Palestine. The rally began as usual, with a Pakistani woman greeting everyone shouting, Welcome Humanity!, followed by cheers and raised fists from participants.

After a couple of speakers, everyone filled the streets with their signs held high, flags blowing in the wind and voices ready. Powerfully they chanted, Down With the U.S. War Machine, from Palestine to the Philippines! Yemen Yemen Makes Us Proud, Turn Another Ship Around! Gaza Gaza You Will Rise, Halifax Is on Your Side! From the Sea to the River, Palestine Will Live Forever! Not Another Nickel, Not Another Dime, No More Money for Genocide! The people, United, Will Never Be Defeated!

The march followed a route through downtown Halifax, where business owners, workers, and Haligonians came out of shops with their fists in the air to join the chanting. The presence of young children handing out flyers to those passing by was an inspiration to many. As the march went along, the group would stop for speakers or performances. This weekend, Jenn Grant, a Haligonian singer and songwriter performed her new song Hello Everyone (Ceasefire Now) live with her partner and friend. Everyone joined in for the chorus to sing, No one is free until everyone is free! Ceasefire now! The song is available on YouTube and features over 35 musical artists from across Canada, Australia and the UK.

The next speaker was a young Jewish woman who spoke with strength stating, "I will not let the pain and suffering of my ancestors to be used as a weapon of oppression and terror. My family did not survive pogroms and persecution for me to stand idly by while Palestinians wear the same heartbreak and agony on their faces that my family did [...] It is our moral duty as Jews to fight for the liberation of all oppressed people, and especially to fight against those who would do it in our name. This is how we resist. We resist by standing together, Jews and Palestinians alike, by refusing the hatred and indoctrination Zionism seeks to fill us with. We do not resist alone, but as one!"

As the group marched on, some songs were played including the Swedish song Leve Palestina (Long Live Palestine), and a beautiful song by a young Mi'kmaw woman.

The rallies have been well attended by youth and students, including Dalhousie University students. At last week's rally, a Palestinian student who spoke started by saying "I understand many of you feel helpless as students and regular civilians that live thousands of miles away. However, that is not the case at all. For we the people have the ability to disrupt, organize and act." He went on to discuss the three main demands of the Palestinian civil society, set out in 2005, which include, 1) Ending the occupation and colonization of all Arab lands, 2) Recognizing the basic human rights of Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel and 3) Respecting, protecting, and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their lands and homes as stipulated in UN Resolution 194.

He ended saying, "Together we shall never falter in our pursuit of Justice, for we must uphold the saying Never Again and keep that energy for all people, regardless of their race or creed [... ] Palestinians are victims, it's true. However I refuse, we refuse, to be the perfect victim. For we will not take this subjugation quietly, we will not take it laying on our backs. We shall make as much noise as we can! And if we are going down, we are going down fighting! Down with the occupation! Long live Palestine!"

March 16

Quebec

Rimouski

March 17

Montreal

For more than an hour and a half on the afternoon of March 14, protesters lined up on the street facing the main entrance to the hotel in Old Montreal where Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly was scheduled to speak along with other members of the Trudeau Cabinet at a Liberal fundraiser. This included Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez and Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller. The participants at the picket held placards and banners demanding that Canada take a stand and denounce Israel's genocidal crimes against the people of Gaza. They shouted slogans Free, Free Palestine! Joly, Joly, Your Hands Are Red and Trudeau, Trudeau, Pick a Side, Justice or Genocide! and more.

Four days prior, Joly met with the Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz where, in the words of Global Affairs Canada, she "reiterated Canada's long-standing position that Israel has the right to exist and defend itself in accordance with international law." None of the ministers dared show up in front of the demonstrators, preferring to enter by car into the hotel's underground parking.

As the March 14 picket ended, activists from the surrounding boroughs of Ville-Marie and Hochelaga-Maisonneuve went on demonstrating through the streets of Old Montreal.

March 14

On March 17, amongst the 800 demonstrators at the weekly march in support of Palestine who addressed the crowd, a representative from the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) denounced this so-called humanitarian assistance to Gaza by sea, set up by the U.S., Canada and the European Union. He said that people will find out what are the real reasons behind this latest ploy.

"We have not stopped taking to the streets, raising our flag, speaking out for Palestine, everywhere we are. Our people in Gaza are facing not only a genocide, they are facing mass starvation by the Israeli regime with the complete backing of the United States of America, with the complete backing of our own Canadian government," he said.

"Our Canadian government does not represent us, they do not represent the people, nor our demands. They represent only the interests of the ruling class, of the political class. [...] They wish to destroy the will of our people, because we fight back, we resist. We will continue to fight until total liberation and until full return of every single Palestinian refugee. Our demands are very clear. We want an immediate and permanent ceasefire now, and the release of all our Palestinian prisoners from Zionist jails, every single one of them," he said.

"We want an end to this foreign settler colonial project called Zionism in our region. And we want an end to all Canadian and western complicity in this occupation, in this genocide," he said.

"I want to remind you that we are the voice of the people, we are the ambassadors of the voice of Gaza, of the West Bank, of every person that is oppressed on this planet, " he concluded.

Others brought to the attention of the crowd that some 12 students at McGill University have been on a hunger strike for 28 days now. "They have taken it upon themselves to go on a hunger strike, since before Ramadan, and some of them have been on an indefinite hunger strike with no food or water, while others have been with just water, salt water," one said. She denounced the hypocrisy of the McGill administration that makes statements about the hunger strikers, about concern for their health and tells them that they should stop this for their own health and safety. "This is the same administration that is completely silent on what is happening in Gaza to the people who have no food or water or electricity. These students who have been on hunger strike are demanding that McGill University end its complicity with all Israeli and Zionist institutions and companies complicit in this occupation! The McGill administration has refused to even meet with the hunger strikers!," she added.

Another person who spoke to the crowd said, "We have a situation in this country where there is a trade agreement with Israel that allows products to come in from the occupied West Bank duty-free. The biggest outrage, the biggest Canadian contribution to Palestine and dispossession, something that doesn't get hardly any attention, is the fact that there are hundreds of organizations, registered charities in this country that raise more than a quarter billion dollars a year for projects in Israel. Subsidized by all Canadian taxpayers. And there are some of these organizations that directly support the Israeli military, that directly support racist organizations in Israel, that directly support settlements, contrary to national law, in the West Bank."

He ended by saying that wherever these politicians go we will be there. "Just this last couple days, on Friday, In Toronto, Justin Trudeau had to escape through a back exit because there were so many protesters at a fundraiser. In Saint John, New Brunswick, Pierre Poilievre's fundraiser was disrupted."

Before starting the march the organizers reminded everyone to come out on Saturday, March 23 at 2:00 pm in Montreal for a big protest and march for Palestine organized by pro-Palestinian organizations in Quebec.

March 17

Ontario

Toronto

On March 15 on short notice, hundreds of people showed up at the King Edward Hotel in downtown Toronto to denounce Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his cowardice and support for the U.S.-sponsored Israeli genocide against the people of Palestine. For this he has earned the moniker "Genocide Justin." Trudeau was the guest at a Liberal Party fundraising dinner where the ticket price was $1,725 per person and $825 for youth under 35; the monies going into the Liberal Party coffers for the next federal election in 2025. The spirited protest was organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement, Toronto4Palestine and others.

A phalanx of police, including two rows of police on horseback, stood behind barricades set up to block the hotel entrances, allowing Trudeau to enter the hotel through a side door.

The protesters kept up a steady chanting of slogans that was heard around the hotel for blocks including Hey Trudeau, You Can't Hide, We Charge You with Genocide!, Hey Trudeau, Pick a Side, Justice or Genocide!, From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free!, From the Sea to the River, Palestine Will Live Forever! and many others.

The youth leading the chants pointed out that it is unconscionable that while Palestinians are facing the most brutal bombing and starvation campaign aimed to wipe them out, with more than 30,000 people dead, Trudeau and the Liberals are having a banquet.

They also underscored the heroism of the Palestinians pointing out that nothing will stop the Palestinian people from being victorious and affirming their right of return.

The youth organizers expressed appreciation to everyone that for close to 160 days, Torontonians have been coming out and supporting the people of Gaza and the Palestinian people who are facing the most heinous crimes of the U.S.-Israeli forces. They noted that this unity with the Palestinians and the unity of the whole world with Palestine has helped to keep the resistance going and that no matter the hardships, the Palestinian people will prevail over the Zionists and their allies such as the U.S. and Canada. They said that Canada's complicity in this genocide will be exposed whenever Trudeau or any other Zionist sympathizer of the government shows up in public, that it will not be "business as usual."

Picket outside Liberal fundraiser attended by Trudeau, March 15

March 16

Sudbury

March 16

Windsor

On the afternoon of March 11, University of Windsor students and allies held a "die-in" in the common area of the Ron W. Ianni Faculty of Law. The aim was to build support among students, faculty and administration for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel, given that a resolution to that effect was coming before the University of Windsor Student Alliance.

One of the participants read out a speech condemning Canada's complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza and called for the government to instead act in keeping with the order issued by the International Court of Justice to fulfil its obligations under the Genocide Convention and in accordance with international law. Canadian institutions, including universities and their law faculties have the legal and moral duty as well to contribute to holding Canada to account, she said. She appealed in particular to the University of Windsor Faculty of Law to act to uphold its commitments to social justice, decolonization, addressing historical injustices and putting an end to institutional racism. She then called on the university to join students in participating in BDS as a way to advance justice by putting pressure on Israel to abide by international law, stop its ethnic cleansing and war crimes. She also appealed to academics to do their part in their classrooms and their disciplines to advocate for justice for Palestine and to discuss the humanitarian crisis that has been imposed on the population of Gaza. In campuses across the country, students and faculty are active in campaigns aimed at affirming their right to support Palestine, breaking academic, financial and institutional ties that support the Israeli occupation, while many universities also conduct research tied to the war production.

On March 17, a rally and march were held in Windsor's downtown core. Slogans shouted during the march included Resistance to Genocide We Defend with All Our Pride! Resistance Is justified When Your Land Is Occupied! We Have to Fight with All Our Might for Simple, Basic Human Rights! Free Free Palestine! and Ceasefire Now!