Pro-Palestinian Protests in Montreal Erupt amid Anger over Gaza Crisis
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Pro-Palestinian demonstrators in Montreal took to the streets Friday night to protest against Israel's crimes of genocide in Gaza and express outrage over international inaction, escalating into a fiery demonstration against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
A protest advocating for Palestinian rights began at Émilie-Gamelin Park in downtown Montreal but intensified after nightfall. Angered by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, demonstrators burned an effigy of Netanyahu in symbolic defiance of Israeli genocidal military operations.
Participants carried Palestinian flags and banners, releasing red smoke bombs as a show of solidarity and resistance. The protest was part of a wave of global outrage over Israel's Gaza offensive, which has left thousands of civilians dead and displaced.
Montreal police used tear gas and other chemical irritants against the protesters, attempting to suppress the crowd. Riot police confronted the demonstrators on St-Laurent Boulevard, with officers using force to disperse the gathering. Despite the scale of the protest, only three arrests were made for alleged assaults on police officers and obstruction of police work.
The demonstration occurred as tensions mounted globally following the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant for Netanyahu and former Israeli war chief Yoav Gallant, citing war crimes in Gaza. Protesters condemned Canada’s complicity in Israel’s crimes, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated that Canada would comply with international law if Netanyahu entered the country.
“We stand for international law and will follow all rulings of international courts,” Trudeau said in a statement. Critics accused the Canadian government of failing to act decisively in support of Palestinian civilians, as Senator Leo Housakos and others attempted to shift attention to the protest’s more chaotic elements.
Netanyahu’s office dismissed the ICC’s warrant as anti-Semitic, while Israel's ambassador to Canada urged Ottawa to reject the decision. Protesters in Montreal decried these dismissals as deflections from Israel’s human rights abuses in Gaza.
The night’s events occurred alongside a NATO summit in Montreal, where issues such as Ukraine and climate change dominated discussions. Protesters criticized the international community for prioritizing other conflicts while failing to address the dire situation in Gaza.
"The voices of Palestinians have been silenced for too long," said one protester. "This is about standing against genocide and supporting a people abandoned by the world."
The demonstration highlighted growing frustration among Canadians over their government's stance, as many expressed solidarity with Palestinians suffering under an apartheid regime. Online posts described the protests as a necessary response to Israel's crimes and a reflection of global anger against systemic injustice.
