Massive rally for Palestine takes over downtown

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/10/2023 (719 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

More than 1,000 pro-Palestine supporters shut down the intersection of Portage and Main on Saturday afternoon in a rally calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza strip and additional humanitarian aid from the provincial and federal governments.

The group first gathered in Memorial Park directly across from the Legislature, an appropriately high-profile location, Canadian Palestinian Association of Manitoba president Ramsey Zeid said.

“We want the people to know what’s happening,” he said during the rally. “We want to educate people, to let them know that there’s a genocide happening, that people are being killed, innocent civilians are being killed, that our government is condoning this, and they’re calling it self-defence, rather than a genocide.”

Participants carrying Palestinian flags and signage with slogans including “Free Palestine until it’s backwards,” “We stand with Palestine” and “Until everyone is free, no one is free” marched through through the downtown hub — which had been blocked off by police from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. — before returning to Memorial Park.

It was the latest in several rallies and memorials in support of Palestine in Winnipeg, but by far the largest.

“It just shows you that people from all over the world disagree with what’s happening, that this is not a Palestinian fight, this is a humanitarian fight,” Zeid said.

Speeches before the march were briefly derailed by about a dozen counter-protesters, who carried Israel flags and signs reading, “Turn Hamas into hummus” and “We stand with Israel,” from the Legislative Building and called to the pro-Palestine rally using a megaphone.

“You’re more than welcome to go (to Palestine) and then chant freedom. Go live there, go support them, what are you doing here, guys? Israel forever,” one counter-protester yelled.

About 20 police officers were monitoring, although the opposing parties did not clash.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has said since a surprise attack from Palestinian militant group Hamas Oct. 7, there have been 4,127 people killed in the Gaza Strip and an additional 13,162 injured. The Ministry of Health has said multiple hospitals and care centres are out of service and Gaza is facing shortages of food and electricity.

Canada has designated Hamas as a terrorist organization. The federal government has committed a total of $60 million for humanitarian assistance in Gaza, with $50 million announced Saturday.

The urgent need for support in Gaza was part of what brought one protester and her family out Saturday afternoon.

“We’re here to help raise awareness for the Palestinian people that need that awareness, to tell the government that it’s enough, you guys have to fight for these people,” said Amani, who asked her last name not be used.

Her mother was born in Palestine, she explained. While she spoke, a passerby pointed at her and others in the crowd, using offensive hand gestures before walking away. She said it wasn’t anything new for her.

“That’s how it is. We’re a minority,” she said. “Hopefully they’ll figure something out, and they’ll have a ceasefire. That’s the main thing.”

Also among the protesters was Alison Moule, who carried a sign reading “Jews against Zionism, end the occupation.”

“I’m here because I’m a Jewish person, and I’m an anti-Zionist, so I think it’s important to show up in support of Palestine and against the violence that Israel is committing,” she said.

Palestinian brothers Salah and Baha Alfa carried massive flags and wore keffiyehs — a scarf often worn as a symbol of Palestinian nationalism — in support.

“This feels like it’s the least we could do while their houses are getting bombed and everything. Me personally, I feel guilty for even having a roof on top of my head, because I get to have that and these people don’t,” Salah said.

The brothers had spent time in Palestine in the past, and noted it was customary for people there to celebrate holidays from all religions regardless of their own creed. Baha said he hoped the protest would show Winnipeg that the conflict goes beyond religious differences.

“Jewish, Christian, Muslim we have no real conflict, nothing. We’re all brothers,” he said. “We’re all brothers, we’re all one.”

The protest ended peacefully, with a prayer at Memorial Park. Some brought their own mats, while others used their coats or scarves to kneel on while praying.

Another rally, described by organizers as focused on prayer and calling for “a collective effort to promote peace, harmony and compassion” is scheduled for the legislative grounds on Sunday from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca