Jewish student groups held a vigil on Wednesday at McGill University in downtown Montreal to commemorate the 1,200 victims and 251 hostages of the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. “We’re here to celebrate life. Three years ago was the deadliest, most horrific attack on our people since the Holocaust,” said Elias Manevich, one of the student organizers of the vigil. Several hundred gathered to honour the victims, waving Israeli, Canadian, and Iranian monarchist flags. “Just for me, knowing that these people were there and went through these crazy things and unfortunately left us and I’m still here, and I’m able to keep their memories alive. That’s what matters to me, said Emily Haupt. The vigil was followed by a pro-Palestinian demonstration to protest Israel’s response to the attacks, killing thousands of Palestinians and destroying much of Gaza, according to local health authorities and the United Nations. “We are here to continue to protest the ongoing genocide in Gaza, as we mark three years of genocide in Palestine,” said Iman Noor, a representative for Students for Palestine’s Honour and Resistance (SPHR) at McGill University. “We continue to call for the boycott, divestment and sanctions on Israel.” Aya Hafeda of Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights at Université de Montréal (SPHR UdeM) said pro-Palestinian student groups remain united until its calls for divestment and boycott are heard by schools. “The institutions need to know that whether we get it tomorrow or in one year, they can see we will not cease and we are growing in numbers and we will continue to fight for Gaza,” Hafeda said. The pro-Palestinian protest was met by a group of counter-demonstrators, made up mostly of Iranian Canadians. “We are here because we support Israeli and the freedom movement in Iran,” said Metrr Moshan. For Paola Samuel of the Jewish service organization and advocacy group B’Nai Brith Canada, Oct. 7 is a day of mourning for the Jewish community.
