Montreal Marches to Welcome Refugees

In an attempt to raise greater awareness and to urge the Canadian government to take immediate action regarding its refugee and migration policy, Solidarity Across Borders organized a gathering in Montreal on Saturday afternoon.

Around 500 people gathered in Place Norman Bethune holding banners with the photo of Alan Kurdi, along with the message “Refugees Welcome.” The gathering then formed into a demonstration crowd which headed east on Ste. Catherine St. and ended up on Phillips Square.

The refugee crisis has been ongoing for several months, with thousands of people risking their lives daily by crossing the oceans in search for a better future. But it wasn’t until recently that people started speaking up about the issue, when the image of the three-year-old Alan Kurdi took over the media.

In the past week, Syrians without European visas have been left stranded outside train stations in Hungary, waiting to board trains they bought tickets for. An emergency meeting of the European Union home affairs ministers will take place on September 14 in Brussels.