Some Niagara-on-the-Lake residents are standing up for Palestine — and they hope more people will get involved.
Kit Andres is known for working with the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change and is also an organizer with the bi-national group Mennonite Action.
“As a Mennonite, it’s my duty and my responsibility to speak up against injustice wherever I see it and right now there’s an ongoing genocide in Palestine,” Andres said.
Andres was joined by a group of about 50 participants outside Liberal MP Chris Bittle’s office in St. Catharines Tuesday afternoon.
Participants gathered to question Bittle about why Canada is continuing to sell weapons to Israel that will be used in Gaza.
The gathering, organized by the Niagara Palestine Coalition, displayed the Arms Embargo Now letter, signed by 44 members of Parliament, none of whom are from the Niagara Region.
Participants calling for an arms embargo gathered in the MP’s office parking lot, chanting, holding signs and donning Palestinian keffiyehs and flags.
John Rempel was among the other NOTLers at the rally.
“The goal of today is to get a higher profile in terms of what’s going on,” Rempel said.
He said that confirmation of Canada manufacturing arms for Israel raised the urgency for government action.
“There was a recent discovery on the very specific documents in terms of what’s going on regarding Americans sending arms to Israel that were made in Canada. That was suspected but not known before,” he said
Rempel is involved with the Grace Peace Group based out of Grace Mennonite Church and said he recognized fellow church members in the crowd.
Both Andres and Rempel hope more NOTL residents will get involved in the stand for a free Palestine.
“It’s a situation that is so extreme, where a whole nation is being destroyed. My question is why aren’t there more Canadians demanding that the government adhere to its decision that it would press for a ceasefire?” Rempel said.
Andres said it’s easy to get involved.
Following the Niagara Palestine Coalition in its website or at @905palestine on social media is a good first step. The group has events and rallies most weekends.
“Events like today are a great example of the community coming together, raising our collective voice for peace and to end a genocide,” Andres said.
