March for Palestine garners widespread support
Commemorating three years of genocide
A Palestine solidarity march took place in downtown Montreal on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. to mark the third anniversary of the conflict in Gaza.
Montreal has seen mass mobilizations and campaigns in solidarity with Palestinian people for the past three years. During this period, attacks, mass killings, injuries and the decimation of civilians and their infrastructure have occurred, according to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights.
This march was held and organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) Montreal, which has organized several campaigns and protests over the last three years. One of PYM Montreal's main organizers, Boutaïna Chafi, expressed the importance of these events to her and millions of people worldwide.
‘‘It’s important for us to remind everyone what the demands of the Palestinian people are and how citizens can make a change so that these demands are met here in Quebec,’’ Chafi said.
Interest in these movements has surged over the last couple of years, according to Chafi. She said people can get involved in the movement through these kinds of marches, which are at the forefront of the movement they’re building.
Chafi has organized these protests for years and noticed the changes in these campaigns and mobilizations.
‘‘It has changed into a more coordinated and organized movement over the years because we’re accumulating so much knowledge, building strong campaigns and mobilizing thousands of people," Chafi said. "This shows how strategic and politically strong our movement has gotten in the past three years."
Before the march, hundreds of people gathered at the Ring to commemorate the three years of continuous crimes against the people in Palestine.
Clea Paraskevas, a student at Université de Montréal and avid protester, expressed how these campaigns have received more support over the years because of the growing hopelessness and anger fueling Montrealers, who are fighting for empathy, justice and humanity.
‘‘People are more engaged and less afraid to say that they’re pro-Palestinian just because of all the dehumanization that has gone through Palestinians in the last three years,’’ Paraskevas said.
Mohawk activist and artist Katsi’tsakwas Ellen Gabriel gave a strong speech about what ties the suffering of Indigenous peoples and Palestinians, criticizing the worldwide rise of fascism and authoritarianism.
“We have seen Palestine be the guinea pig for AI [artificial intelligence], just as Indigenous peoples have been the guinea pig for the colonizer and the empire, who still occupies our land, and the very ground that you are standing on is stolen land because of an occupier who committed genocide against the ancestors and against our people, the first people of Turtle Island,” Gabriel said.
According to Paraskevas, citizens have very few options regarding civic action, but people should use their limited rights to stand up for what they believe in.
‘‘Even though most of these protests are organized around permits, we still have to show up," Paraskevas said. "They’re important so that we keep on focusing on our collective efforts around liberation and enforcing our values around human rights and dignity for all."
After the speeches, the protest made its way down Mansfield Street, then onto de Maisonneuve Boulevard West. Though several individuals attempted to disrupt the marchers, overall counter-protester demonstrations were minimal.
Montreal Police (SPVM) Agent Caroline Chèvrefils said that during the march, the police were called at 4:45 p.m. to intervene in an alleged assault near the intersection of Sainte-Catherine St. and Lambert-Closse St.
Chèvrefils alleged that the potential victim was a 14-year-old teenager who said he was physically assaulted by the suspect.
“Preliminary information indicates that a conflict escalated, at which point the suspect allegedly used physical force to injure the victim’s upper body. Officers subsequently located the suspect, a the53-year-old man; he was questioned and arrested for assaulting the victim," SPVM Agent Chèvrefils stated in an email to The Link.
According to Chèvrefils, the suspect was supposedly released at around 5:30 p.m. with a summons to appear in Montreal Municipal Court at a later date.
The march continued west, finally stopping at 1 Westmount Square, the home of the Consulate General of Israel in Montreal. There, protestors gave more speeches denouncing Israel’s actions in front of police defending the doors.
PYM Montreal's media manager, Ali, who requested to be solely identified by his first name out of concern for his privacy, said these protests are meant to demonstrate that the people of Montreal are standing on the right side of history. He stated that the protests show that citizens are willing to come out, protest and show their support.
Ali also mentioned how the conflict has expanded across Palestinian borders into Lebanon, where the Lebanese people are now also suffering horrific crimes. Protesters at the marches now held both Palestinian and Lebanese flags to show their support.
‘‘It didn’t only turn into a genocide in Gaza but a genocide and occupation in Lebanon; we want to show that the people in Montreal are against that,” Ali said.
The protest dispersed around 5:35 p.m. in front of the consulate general, with some participants lingering to socialize and enjoy music.
With files from Nicolas Tremblay and Samuel Kayll
