Pro-Israel rally in downtown Montreal
Posted May 14, 2024 9:27 am.
Last Updated May 14, 2024 6:42 pm.
Montrealers came out to attend a pro-Israel rally downtown Tuesday morning at Place du Canada.
The rally is an annual one, held every year in Montreal since 2002 on Israel’s Independence Day – this year marking 76 years (May 14, 1948).
Montreal police were already on hand early Tuesday, at least three patrol cars surrounding the area and organizers, Jewish Unity Partnership, say they have about 150 security personnel as well – including privately hired guards and volunteers.
The event started at 11 a.m. as the Israel-Hamas war continues in Gaza, and Pro-Palestinian supporters occupy encampments at McGill University, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), and the most recent at Université de Sherbrooke.
About 60 buses arrived from nine points in Montreal and Laval to bring people – including students – to the event.
“We invite you to come and cover the Rally which annually bas been the largest solidarity event in the world outside of Israel on Israel’s Independence Day,” said organizers in an email to CityNews. “There will be a special tribute to the hostages as well.”
The two-hour rally featured speeches, music, a concert, and dancing.
“Rain or shine, people are here to stand for Israel, so we’re just really happy to have everybody here today,” said Alicia Barchechat, one of the event’s co-organizers.
“Every year, similar to the 4th of July or the 1st of July in Canada, we come together in solidarity of Israel,” added Michael Druckman, event co-organizer. “It’s hard to celebrate in the times we’re in, what’s going on in Israel and in Gaza, with hostages that are still being held illegally and for months and months…so there is a sadness.”
“We’re really making a point to talk about them because they are still hostages, they’re being held against our will and it’s important that even though we celebrate this important day and this celebration, there is kind of a heavy feeling that we all feel. We all feel it right now,” explained Barchechat.
In previous years, the event started at Phillips Square, with participants marching. This year, it will be limited to Place du Canada.
Similar pro-Israel events are planned in cities around the world Tuesday.
“Whether things are happening in the world or not, it’s really important to stand for our country,” said Barchechat. “We’re not rallying every single week, you know, we’re here once a year to gather and so I feel like everybody who leaves this event at the end of the day will just feel happy that they got to be here.”
A group called Montreal4Palestine had called on followers to “disrupt” the Israel event and shut it down. “Join us…as we continue to demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire, an end to all complicity,” they wrote on Instagram.
Counter protesters were across the street from the event, behind police tape, waving flags and holding signs.
SPVM said no arrests were made. From what CityNews could see, things remained peaceful.
It’s been seven months since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack at the Nova music festival where at least 260 people were killed. And some 1,200 people were killed in the Hamas attack in southern Israel. Militants took around 250 hostage. Israel says Hamas is holding about 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others in Gaza, after many were released during a weeklong cease-fire in November.
Since the Oct. 7 attack, Israel’s bombardment and offensive in Gaza has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, many of them women and children.
-With files from the Associated Press
