Gaza ceasefire announcement drives hundreds of Montrealers to the streets

Protesters celebrated the proposed ceasefire in Gaza and demanded continuing action against the ongoing Palestinian occupation

Protesters took to the streets of downtown Montreal on Jan. 16 to celebrate the Gaza ceasefire announcement Photo Andraé Lerone Lewis

Dozens of people gathered in front of the United States’ consulate in downtown Montreal following the announcement of a proposed ceasefire in Gaza on Jan. 16, after almost 15 months of siege.

The protests, organized by the Montreal chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), aimed to honour those who lost their lives and call for a definite end to the siege on Gaza.

“This is a victory for the people of Palestine,” said Zeyad Abisaab, a member of PYM and a former Students for Palestine’s Honour and Resistance (SPHR) member. 

Abisaab said that the ceasefire represented more than just a temporary relief from violence.

“Palestinians have prevented Netanyahu from achieving his plan,” he said. “This ceasefire is a victory not only for the heroic people of Palestine but for all oppressed people around the world.”

Protesters bundled up against the cold and gathered at the corner of Stanley St. and St. Catherine St. at around 6 p.m. to celebrate the ceasefire and push for further action. 

By 6:30 p.m., the crowd had grown as a group from the McGill University Roddick Gates student rally organized by SPHR McGill arrived with banners reading “Ceasefire Today, Divestment Tomorrow” and “Free the Prisoners.”

Protesters chanted English, French and Arabic phrases such as "The resistance never dies, Palestine will never die" and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” As the chants spread throughout the crowd, organizers handed out baklava and hand warmer packs. 

By 7:15 p.m., the crowd had grown to over 200 participants. The march moved along Stanley St., heading towards René-Lévesque Blvd. W. before circling back up Drummond St. and continuing west on St. Catherine St. 

Université de Montréal student Clea Paraskevas outlined the emotional toll the ongoing conflict has had on her. 

“Being half Lebanese, having lived in Jordan before moving to Canada and also being a human being, is what made me want to come out here today,” Paraskevas said. “It hurts that our institutions are funding this genocide.” 

Paraskevas called for greater accountability from universities.

“Administrations are profiting too much, and they are not yet ready to accept the financial cost of liberation,” she said.

Paraskevas was not the only one critical of academic institutions in Montreal. Abisaab also criticized Concordia’s employment partnerships with arms manufacturers such as Lockheed Martin and Bombardier.

“Concordia maintains employment partnerships with weapons companies that manufacture arms used by the Zionist entity to commit genocide,” Abisaab said. “By facilitating student employment at these companies, Concordia directly contributes to this violence. If institutions won’t hold themselves accountable, we as students […] will continue to mobilize.”

McGill students Julie Cagnard and Eva Elbert, who have been attending protests for the Palestinian solidarity movement since October, reflected on how this demonstration differed from past protests. 

“There’s this sort of energy at protests that feels really inspiring,” Cagnard said. “Today, we are seeing a protest that is very hopeful, very different from other ones we have seen.” 

“The ceasefire is just the first step,” Elbert said. “People are realizing the evils of imperialism and capitalism, which have been exposed [through]  this horrible genocide.”

The protest concluded around 8:45 p.m. in front of the Israeli consulate in Montreal, where attendees gathered to honour those who have lost their lives during this genocide. 

While the ceasefire announcement brought forth a moment of hope, Abisaab reiterated the importance of sustained advocacy.

“Palestine remains occupied, Gaza is still under siege,” Abisaab said. “We will not stop taking to the streets until Palestine is free from the river to the sea.”

As of Jan. 17, the Israeli cabinet officially passed the 42 day ceasefire agreement with Hamas. The deal, aiming to end nearly 15 months of conflict in Gaza, calls for the release of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian hostages, with the ceasefire set to begin in the coming days.