Statement on Toronto Human Rights Day Arrest
ILPS Toronto co-organized with BAYAN Toronto, Canada-Philippine Solidarity Organization, Climate Justice UofT, Jews Against White Supremacy, Latin American and the Caribbean Solidarity Network, Palestinian Youth Movement, and Tamil Freedom Coalition for an International Human Rights Day action.
The aim was to emphasize and affirm the rights of the working class and oppressed people’s resistance against imperialism by any means necessary.
However, as we were about to start the march from the US consulate to our next route, we were met with police brutality perpetrated by the Toronto Police Service (TPS).
Approximately four (4) cops tackled and violently arrested one of the community attendees by shoving him onto the ground, while the rest of the cops forced other marshals and community members to back off.Our march route changed to 52 Division where the cops took the community attendee to.
The arrest of our comrade has been one of the noticeable patterns orchestrated by the state forces of various imperialist powers and their lackeys. From Canada to the US, France, Germany, and, of course, Gaza, West Bank, and all of Palestine.
This is not the first time we have seen series of arrests and intimidation on pro-Palestinian groups and actions in Toronto. Recently, eleven (11) people were given bogus charges for allegedly participating in a direct action against Indigo, a company whose CEO is known for directly supporting the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF). The criminalization of actions like this is an example of the Canadian state protecting Zionist interests.
This blatant act of police violence is a manifestation of colonial violence. It is a reproduction of capitalism, imperialism, and settler colonialism, which is deeply complicit in the Zionist terrorism against Palestinians and the state suppression of revolutionary movements across the globe.
It is no coincidence that Canadian police forces regularly collaborate with their “Israeli” counterparts.
The RCMP, founded as a colonial paramilitary to suppress Indigenous resistance, has participated in joint training with Israeli forces; concretely, in 2005, 39 police chiefs from Canada traveled to Israel to attend events hosted by the Israeli Police and the Israeli Ministry of Internal Security.
However, the fact that hundreds of people continued to join the action, and committed to demanding the comrade’s release as we marched together to 52 Division only proves that our slogan is correct: It is right to resist state terrorism, repression and criminalization of dissent in all forms.
The fact that the people refused to leave Dundas Street and the front square of 52 Division for hours to demand his release showed that the people were willing to defy police intimidation to support a fellow protestor. In doing so, we sent a clear message to TPS and the Canadian ruling class: An attack on one of us is an attack against all.
With our comrades from allied organizations, we stand in unconditional solidarity with the defendant of December 10 and countless others across the globe who are criminalized for their solidarity with Palestine
As our Palestinian comrades say, only through steadfast resistance to imperialism can we achieve liberation and revolution within our lifetimes.
We will remain firm in echoing this message today and for the upcoming actions as we show up for one another.
We will not be intimidated and silenced. We will stay committed in the joint struggle until we see the liberation of Palestinian people and nations who are struggling to liberate themselves from the imperial hold.
The people united, will never be defeated!
Long live international solidarity!