Pro-Palestine student groups rally on Oct. 7 in the face of counter-protesters
Protesters gathered in front of Roddick Gates and marched to fight for Palestinian solidarity in academic spaces
More than a hundred protesters gathered in front of McGill University’s Roddick Gates for a rally organized by Palestinian student groups on Oct. 7.
This rally is one of many, as the date marks a stark uptick in the violence in Gaza, while also acknowledging the decades of occupation that preceded it.
As Students for Palestine's Honour and Resistance (SPHR) Concordia's event coordinator, Hassan Farajallah sees the date as an important reminder.
"Oct. 7 was merely the start of the latest episode of the genocide on the people of Gaza and the people of Palestine," Farajallah said.
The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory released a report in September 2025 stating that Israel has committed genocide against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
SPHR branches from McGill, Concordia University, Dawson College and Université de Montréal organized the rally. The protests saw a heavy presence of Montreal police (SPVM) and McGill security.
While the pro-Palestine rally began at 2 p.m., a counter-protest had already begun, with protesters gathering around 1 p.m.
Earlier in the day, a vigil for Israelis who had been killed on Oct. 7, 2023, was held nearby on McGill's west lower field from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
While both groups of protesters were present at the Roddick Gates, the SPVM separated them. The pro-Palestinian protesters then began marching towards De Maisonneuve Blvd., where the counter-protesters did not follow.
The protest also drew the attention of students and passersby. According to McGill student Soledad St-Germain, talking to the counter-protesters pushed her to join SPHR's rally after they claimed she was protecting McGill students from terrorists.
"I'm a McGill student, and I don't feel [threatened] […] It got me really mad," St-Germain said. "So I was like, ‘I can not go home after this. I have to stay, and I have to protest.'"
St-Germain went on to say that she is disappointed with her own school's administration. Despite McGill professors voting in favour of cutting ties with Israel, the university's administration still has not taken any action.
Pressuring universities was a key focus of the march, with chants and speeches centred on the SPHRs’ calls to action within their university administrations.
McGill professor Rula Jurdi Abisaab strongly believes in the importance of speaking out and is a member of Profs4Palestine, a group of McGill professors who advocate for Palestinian emancipation.
"Canadian and American universities involved in academic or cultural exchange with Israeli universities should also realize that they are enabling Israeli crimes,” Jurdi Abisaab said in her speech. They are enabling the genocide, and thus they are complicit… as professors we stand behind you all."
While some progress has been made, such as Concordia's Student Union adopting boycott, divest and sanction motions, organizers are still calling for more efforts.
For Farajallah, leveraging student spaces is vital to furthering the Palestinian cause. Farajallah said he can use the energy and diversity of the student body to better mobilize for his cause.
"It's a melting pot, so our place is crucial in the movement […] I've had so many opportunities as a volunteer in student movements to meet people that I would have never had without the university space," Farajallah said. "We drive the movement forward, and hopefully we will keep driving it forward til the end of our days."
The pro-Palestinian protesters marched down De Maisonneuve Blvd., arrived at Concordia's J.W. McConnell Building and dispersed around 3:45 p.m.
The protest was peaceful, and SPVM media relations officer Manuel Couture said no arrests were made.
Other rallies also took place throughout the day, including one by montreal4palestine at 6 p.m. in front of McGill.
