SPHR

Photo Matthew Daldalian

Matthew Daldalian,
Local Journalism Initiative

Demonstrators gathered outside the U.S. Cconsulate to call for an end to the violence in Gaza

Protesters gathered outside the U.S. consulate in Montreal on the evening of April 25—waving Palestinian flags and chanting for liberation—as they joined a global day of action in support of Palestine.

Demonstrators in Montreal joined the international wave of protests alongside others rallying in solidarity with Palestine worldwide. In front of the U.S. consulate downtown, students tied local victories on university campuses to broader demands for an end to the genocide in Gaza.

Among those attending the protest was Ghazi El Masri, a student at Collège Montmorency, who said he felt compelled to show up as the violence continued.

“The problem with all of this isn’t just the fact that [Palestinians] are oppressed—it’s that children are dying, women are dying, families are dying,” El Masri said, “and unfortunately, Canada is acting as if nothing is happening.”

The protest was organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement’s (PYM) Montreal chapter and Students for Palestine’s Honour and Resistance (SPHR) Concordia and McGilll.

Before the march began, Montreal journalist and community organizer Mostafa Henaway addressed the crowd, highlighting the dangers facing media workers in Gaza. Over 200 journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, according to the Costs of War Project at Brown University, making it the deadliest conflict for media workers ever recorded.

The demonstration came after recent significant developments on Montreal university campuses. 

Concordia University disclosed its $454 million investment portfolio after pressure from activists, while McGill University’s student society officially ratified a pro-Palestine policy following a Quebec Court ruling that upheld students’ right to political expression.

Zeyad Abisaab, a history student at Concordia and a PYM member, called Concordia’s disclosure of its investments a “historic achievement,” but said that demands continue.

“The student movement at Concordia and the movement in all of the diaspora for Palestine demands that [the university] cut ties with the weapons companies, and Zionist weapons companies to be specific,” Abisaab said.

Abisaab added that the demonstration was also part of a direct response to calls from professionals currently in Gaza.

“The journalists and doctors […] have made an outcry to the world to protest in front of the U.S. consulate due to their complicity and support,” Abisaab said.

After speeches, demonstrators marched through the streets downtown, heading down Stanley St. and marching along René-Lévesque Blvd.

A spokesperson for SPHR Montreal, who has been granted anonymity for safety reasons, said the day of action showed that students remain a critical force.

“This call came straight from Gaza and it’s calling on all segments of society and civil society to respond to this call, including students,” the spokesperson said. “Students from New York state, Montreal and Concordia and McGill, who are essentially here to reaffirm that the students are part of this broader movement.”

Following the march, protesters returned to the consulate at around 8 p.m.

Before the crowd dispersed, organizers said their movement and its demands are only growing stronger. For El Masri, simply showing up was a necessary part of that momentum.

“Even if, at the end of the day, it’s just about showing up, I think every presence matters,” El Masri said.