Rallies were held across Canada in solidarity with victims of the Israel-Palestine war
Demonstrations become a weekly occurrence.
On Sunday, November 12, many cities across Canada again held rallies in solidarity with civilians suffering from military action in the Middle East. Demonstrations were held both among supporters of a free Palestine and in support of Israel — many of them taking place in parallel, such as in Toronto.
The pro-Palestinian demonstrations were organized by the group Ceasefire Now and their main slogans were demands to stop the genocide of civilians and end the blockade of Gaza.
Pro-Israeli rallies were also peaceful, calling for the release of the hostages and attention to the growing anti-Semitic sentiment in the world. The Toronto rally was held at a historic site for Canadian Jews — Christie Pits Park. Here, in 1933, there was a large-scale clash between English Canadians and Jews over a swastika flag unfurled during a baseball game.
Context
Sunday's demonstrations come amid growing calls for a cease-fire amid rising death toll in the Gaza Strip, where power and fuel shortages are crippling medical centers. At the same time, fierce clashes are taking place between Israeli troops and Hamas militants.
At the same time, Canadian society is concerned about the growing number of crimes motivated by Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. For example, over the past month, several dozen such incidents have been recorded in Montreal alone.
The conflict worsened on October 7 after Hamas invaded Israel. At least 1,200 Israelis were killed. A full-scale military operation was launched in response, which the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported killed about 11,000 people. Canada donates funds to humanitarian aid for victims on both sides.
