Protesters in Toronto: ‘We will honor all our martyrs’ after 3 years of Gaza war

Hundreds marched through Toronto on Saturday, chanting alongside many new supporters. "We will honor all our martyrs, all our children, sons and daughters!" and "In my lifetime I will see Palestinians living free!" echoed through Sankofa Square. A smaller, counterprotest took place nearby, featuring those waving Israeli and Iranian flags.

Tensions briefly rose when a man wearing a Turning Point Canada sweatshirt confronted anti-establishment protesters. The demonstration was part of a larger international movement, with 17 Canadian protests planned. Among the attendees were Jews and Israelis critical of the war in Gaza and Zionism. Prime Minister Mark Carney remembered Vivian Silver, a Canadian-Israeli peace activist murdered during the Hamas attack, in his three-year anniversary statement.

Others at the protest expressed solidarity with issues beyond the Middle East, emphasizing the need to address global imperialism. Despite being outnumbered, pro-Israel demonstrators carried Iranian flags, expressing unity between the two nations. The Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs warned of the potential for violence as the protests continued, calling for moral clarity from civic leaders.