Chants of “Free the People, Free the Land” rang through the streets of downtown on Saturday afternoon, as about 300 people marched in solidarity with the people of Palestine and called on the federal government to step in and calm the conflict that is flaring in that part of the world.
The event, which was organized by Guelph Solidarity for Palestine, began in front of city hall shortly after 2 p.m. and featured a number of speakers before the crowd took to the streets to voice their opposition to the situation.
“How much more blood needs to be shed before we hear their cries for help,” Hiba El-Khatib told the crowd. “We are here to be seen. We are here to make a change.”
Speakers condemned the “ethnic cleansing” in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of east Jerusalem and occupied Palestine, demanded the Canadian government hold Israel accountable for violations of international law and pressure Israel to “stop its onslaught on Gaza.”
