Windsor-Essex Commemorates 73 Years of Nakba

By YCLers in Windsor-Essex

Saturday May 15

Palestinian Solidarity Group (PSG) at the University of Windsor organized a Nakba 73 rally and commemoration at Windsor’s Riverfront, attended by more than 1,000 people. COVID-19 precautions were actively in place, with organizers enforcing mask-wearing and asking others to socially distance when possible. Windsor YCLers were present at the rally, handing out free masks and offering hand sanitizer.

From Riverfront, attendees marched down Ouellette Avenue towards downtown Windsor, halting traffic in both directions. Attendees were met with overwhelming support, with numerous drivers honking and raising their fists high out of their car windows. Marchers made it past the U.S-Canada Tunnel while chanting, continuing to Windsor City Hall for a series of speeches. The rally then made its way back up Ouellette Avenue towards the Great Canadian Flag. By the end of the rally, and for quite some time afterwards, Palestinian flags and honks of solidarity could be heard echoing through the downtown core of Windsor.

Among the well-spoken and passionate speakers was one of the Young Communist League’s Windsor-Essex members and organizers, who also assisted in helping PSG organize and maintain. He denounced the atrocities and war crimes committed by the Israel’s apartheid state, presenting chilling statistics to the crowd.

Other speakers included education advocate, Windsor Peace Coalition member, and CPC-ML member Margaret Villamizar, who criticized capitalism’s role and Canada’s complicity in the apartheid and violence faced by Palestinians.

Wednesday May 19

Organized by the University of Windsor Palestinian Solidarity Group (PSG), a second rally was held on May 19 at the Riverfront. Attendees would again make their way down Ouellette Avenue and to City Hall, returning to the Great Canadian Flag platform.

This event, like the last, was also very well-attended. However, new antagonisms, intimidation, and discrimination from the Windsor Police Services created a very different atmosphere. Organizers had previously contacted the Windsor Police Services, as well as various media outlets (including CBC and Al Jazeera) to ensure they were in compliance with all laws and COVID-19 precautions.

Regardless of this attempt to cater to the Windsor Police Services and the City By-Law Enforcement, Windsor Police decided to act aggressively. Windsor Police officers began to question attendees, shoving cameras in their faces and recording attendees. Windsor Police then began to issue fines and tickets for breaching Ontario’s COVID-19 public gathering restrictions (despite prior contact regarding these restrictions), and began to implement their newly-announced and conveniently-timed “Noise Complaint Enforcement Blitz”, with officers ticketing those who were deemed “too loud” at the rally: those with speakers and megaphones, any car who honked in support of Palestine, and anyone playing Arabic-language music. YCLers noted that other individuals playing non-Arabic language music exceptionally loudly, some right next to those who got ticketed and fined, were not issued any tickets or fines.

Windsor Police did everything they could to make the maintenance of the event as difficult as possible and showed a complete 180 compared to their Saturday behaviour. (It should be noted, no surprise, that the Windsor Police Service follows the Israeli Defense Forces on Twitter).

Windsor Police claimed that these tickets and fines were for breaking the law and endangering attendees, and that they were issued fairly. This is blatantly false. For about a year now, “Anti-Lockdown, Anti-Vaxx Freedom” protests have been held every Saturday morning without fail at the same location. These right-wing, conspiracy-fuelled protests have received fewer tickets and fines than the Palestinian rally did, despite engaging in displays of reactionary violence, including but not limited to spitting, verbally assaulting downtown residents, endangering public health, spewing anti-science rhetoric, and being a routine nuisance. Make no mistake, these “Freedom Protest” organizers will sometimes get fined and ticketed, but this one-time Palestine solidarity rally received a greater number of tickets which were handed out to not only organizers but attendees as well.

The Windsor Police further revealed their double standards when Unifor Local 1999 and its allies rallied outside of Reliance Home Comfort after a lock-out. Police monitored this rally but never acted: no tickets or fines were issued, despite the fact that speakers and megaphones were used, cars drove by honking loudly, and the gathering far exceeded the 10 person limit. YCLers attended this rally as well in support of the locked-out workers.

We at the Windsor-Essex YCL firmly condemn these acts of discrimination, of intimidation, and of violence against Palestinians and their allies. We stand in utmost solidarity and support for Palestine and all Palestinians. Freedom for Palestine, down with Israeli apartheid!