Ceremonies, events and protests took place across Canada today to mark the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel that sparked the ongoing war in Gaza.
The October 7, 2023 attack killed more than 1,200 Israelis, while another 250 were kidnapped and held hostage, sparking an Israeli counter-offensive in Gaza that, according to the Health Ministry, killed more than 41,000 dead.
The war had far-reaching consequences around the world and in Canada, including families grieving the deaths of loved ones, hundreds of protests resulting in arrests, the creation of pro-Palestinian university campuses, and an increase in reports reporting hate crimes against the population. -Jews and Muslims.
To mark the first anniversary, police in Canada’s largest cities have stepped up protection, particularly around Jewish and Muslim places of worship and during events to mark October 7.
Jewish groups across the country held events in cities including Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver to mourn the victims of the attack and call for the return of the hostages.
At the same time, several demonstrations are also planned to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, including a demonstration in Montreal, considered to support the struggle of the Palestinian people for “total liberation”.
“Next Monday, we will take to the streets of Montreal in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Palestine,” the group Montreal4Palestine said in an Instagram post announcing the event.
“We will renew our support for the resistance and continue to support the fight for freedom by any means necessary. »
Meanwhile, groups that held camps for months on McGill University’s downtown campus last spring and summer are planning a walkout and march from Concordia University to McGill on Monday afternoon.
The group demanded that McGill end its investments in companies linked to the Israeli military and sever its ties with Israeli institutions.
A rally organized by Jewish groups was also planned for Monday afternoon at the main entrance to McGill’s downtown campus.
McGill is limiting access to its campus on Monday and many classes will be held online.
A Quebec Superior Court judge also granted a temporary injunction against several groups, ordering them not to block access to Concordia or disrupt classes.
Montreal police and other law enforcement agencies across Canada say they are increasing their presence as October 7 approaches.
Vancouver Police Chief Const. Adam Palmer said planned and unplanned protests across the city posed a “significant” risk of disorder and officers specially trained for large-scale events had been deployed.
The pro-Palestinian group Samidoun, which called the October 7 attack the “Al-Aqsa Flood,” Hamas’ code name for the operation, is planning a rally in Vancouver.
Toronto police say there have been more than 1,500 protests in the city since last October, with 72 protest-related arrests, and there have been 350 reports of hate crimes so far this year, which , according to the police chief, represents an increase of 40 percent compared to last year. year. Alleged hate crimes against the city’s Jewish population increased by 69 percent, he added.
Rallies and protests took place around the world over the weekend leading up to October 7, including large events in European cities and demonstrations and rallies in Canada.
Visiting Paris on Saturday for a Francophonie summit, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated his calls for a ceasefire in the Middle East.
Israel also recently attacked several Hezbollah targets on the outskirts of the Lebanese city of Beirut and launched a ground offensive. Airstrikes have hit Palestinian refugee camps in northern Lebanon as Israel targets Hezbollah and Hamas fighters.
Iran, which helps arm and finance Hamas and Hezbollah, launched at least 180 ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published October 7, 2024.
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