Pro-Israel, pro-Palestinian groups to hold Montreal gatherings on Oct. 7

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Montrealers on opposite sides of the Middle Eastern conflict are organizing events on Monday to mark the anniversary of Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the beginning of Israel’s retaliation.

Amid heightened tensions, Montreal police have increased patrols around Jewish and Muslim community locations as well as universities.

McGill and Concordia universities — protest focal points over the past year — have tightened campus security, with some classes moved online. Some pro-Palestinian groups are urging CEGEP and university students to walk out and march to McGill on Monday afternoon.

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Downtown traffic may be snarled, with McGill warning that police plan to “close or restrict access” to Sherbrooke St. in front of the university as of 8 a.m.

Montreal’s Jewish community will gather at two events organized by the Federation CJA, a local philanthropic organization, with assistance from the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.

The first event — a “student unity vigil” — is scheduled from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. at McGill’s Roddick Gates on Sherbrooke St.

Participants are expected to join in song, prayer and reflection.

The community is coming together “to mourn, honour, and remember the victims of the attacks, as well as to pray for the return of the hostages and a peaceful resolution to the war,” Federation CJA said.

Later, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., a larger event will occur at a location to be announced Monday morning.

This gathering will feature a moment of silence, prayers, and addresses from dignitaries, including Israel’s consul general, Paul Hirshson.

While the evening event is open to the public, pre-registration is required via Jlive.app.

Pro-Palestinian groups in Montreal are organizing a student strike and at least two events.

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The Concordia and McGill chapters of Students for Palestine’s Honour and Resistance are calling on CEGEP and university students to walk out of classes at 2 p.m.

“McGill and Concordia can try to shut down campus but a police state at our universities will never silence the student movement,” the groups said in a social media post.

They vowed to “flood campuses in response to a year of genocide. After a year, we commemorate the historic breach of the colonial border and a year of Palestine’s heroic resistance.”

Another event is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Place des Arts.

Via social media, a group called Montreal4Palestine says supporters will “take over the streets of Montreal in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Palestine. The days of silent suffering are over. The resistance has risen and we rise with them.”

On Saturday, hundreds of pro-Palestinian supporters marched through downtown Montreal, accusing Canada of being complicit in Israel’s military efforts. Another downtown demonstration was planned for Sunday.

Monday marks one year since Hamas, which governs Gaza, attacked Israel. About 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed, and hundreds were taken captive.

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Since Israel declared war on Hamas, more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health authority. Just over half of the dead were women and children, according to the Associated Press.

In recent days, Israel has targeted regions of Lebanon controlled by the Hezbollah militant group with airstrikes and ground incursions.

Canada has designated both Hamas and Hezbollah terrorist organizations.

Montreal police say the city has seen more than 300 protests about the war over the past year, most of them peaceful. However, about 100 arrests have been made.

And antisemitism and Islamophobia have flared. Montreal police have recorded 288 possible hate crimes, with 41 arrests.

Firebombs, gunfire and vandalism have targeted some Jewish schools and synagogues in Montreal. Threatening emails were sent to Jewish institutions, including synagogues. On Wednesday, five people were arrested with incendiary material near a synagogue in Côte-St-Luc.

Last year, a mosque in St-Léonard was spray-painted with a swastika and the message “Kill all Musulman bastard” (sic). Muslim women reported verbal harassment near mosques.

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Montreal police say they will increase their presence on the streets Monday, with additional officers on duty, including some in plainclothes. Surveillance is to be stepped up around Jewish and Arab/Muslim institutions as well as universities.

“We want the public to know we are aware of their concerns and taking them seriously,” said assistant police director Vincent Richer.

McGill has tightened security, cancelling many in-person classes and restricting access to its campus until at least Tuesday.

The university has been rocked by turmoil since the Israel-Hamas war erupted. Pro-Palestinian protesters occupied part of the downtown campus for 75 days until it was dismantled on July 10.

Riot police were called to some pro-Palestinian protests at McGill after windows were smashed and an administration building was occupied.

Concordia said it plans to increase the presence of security guards and impose “other security measures that may affect access to buildings” on Monday.

Security will be tight around Montreal Monday, the first anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel and the beginning of Israel’s retaliation.Security will be tight around Montreal Monday, the first anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel and the beginning of Israel’s retaliation.Professors were told they can hold classes online and must not penalize students who don’t attend in-person classes.

Last week, a judge issued a temporary order barring certain pro-Palestinian groups and activists from blocking access to Concordia or attempting to disrupt any classes.

In late September, there was vandalism and several people were arrested near Concordia amid pro-Palestinian protests.

In one case, protesters smashed windows and launched Molotov cocktails at police; in another slogans were spray-painted and objects were thrown at police.

ariga@postmedia.com

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