Author: cpaadmin

VPD hears complaints by pro-Palestine advocates, then appoints former Deputy Chief to investigate

Arabic proverb: لمين تشكي والقاضي غريمك
Who do you complain to when the judge is your opponent?

Human Rights Groups Alarmed that Former Deputy Chief of VPD Selected to Investigate Allegations of Illegal Mass Surveillance and by Deferral of Excessive Use of Force Complaint – BC Civil Liberties Association %
(Photos: Michael YC Tseng)

Background info on legal complaint: Police Board to consider legal complaints filed against VPD for excessive use of force and surveillance of Palestine movement
Says Dania Barakat, a local Palestinian organizer:
“Across the country and around the world, we are seeing a rise in police and state repression against pro-Palestinian activists. This increasing anti-Palestinian racism is happening as we are witnessing a genocide unfolding in Gaza every day and as Canada refuses to implement a two-way arms embargo against Israel. But the VPD repression and surveillance of our actions will not stop us. The global movement for our liberation is only growing.”

Solidarity with Palestinian Advocacy and Liberation!

Tell the Canadian Government to Stop Criminalizing Palestinian Advocacy – Action Network

Now Endorsed by 19 Groups:

  • Africa 4 Palestine
  • BDS Vancouver-Coast Salish
  • Barnard-Boecker Centre Foundation
  • Canada Palestine Association 
  • Canadian Arab Federation 
  • Canadian BDS Coalition & International Allies
  • Canadian Foreign Policy Institute 
  • Canadian Lebanese Academic Forum 
  • Coordinating Council 4 Palestine 
  • Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle 
  • Greater Toronto for BDS GTA4BDS 
  • Jewish Anti-Zionist Collective Toronto 
  • Niagara Movement for Justice in Palestine-Israel (NMJPI)
  • Ontario Palestinian Rights Association 
  • Palestine Solidarity Committee Saint John 
  • Palestinian and Jewish Unity 
  • Regina Peace Council  
  • Socialist Action 
  • Solidarité: Sherbrooke-Gaza 

CPA Condemns the Banning of Samidoun

The Canada Palestine Association condemns the Canadian government’s banning of Samidoun, a pro-Palestinian advocacy group. This move was done in conjunction with the US government and followed years of aggressive Zionist lobbying. It also represented “cheap politics” on the part of the current Liberal government, pandering to a right wing agenda and trying to score political points by literally squashing civil and democratic rights. 

For over a year, the Canadian government has not taken any serious actions against the Israeli TERRORISM, war crimes and genocide being carried out against the Palestinian and Lebanese people. But instead of criminalizing those forces who are actually burning people alive in Gaza, this government chose to put yet another Palestinian group on its “terrorist list”. And this time, they are setting a dangerous precedent by banning an independent Palestinian political advocacy group with no organizational affiliations to any Palestinian resistance groups. 

In 2002, the Liberal government of the day listed several Islamic Liberation Organizations on Canada’s so-called “Terrorist list” and then in 2003, they also added most Palestinian resistance groups to the same list.  

The Israeli government and its array of lobby groups have clearly been behind these listings; their main objective is to supress any solidarity work for Palestinian liberation and supress criticism of the Zionist settler colonialist project (Israel). 

Repression against advocates for Palestine is steadily increasing across Canada, from arrests by local police forces to unfounded smears by provincial and federal politicians. But as CPA Chair Hanna Kawas said in a recent interview: “We’re going to keep the solidarity work (alive) and the support work for Palestinian liberation and for Palestinian resistance organizations, whether they like it or not.” 

We must continue to stand with the Palestinian people and not be intimidated with government edicts; lets show true internationalist solidarity with Palestinian advocacy and liberation and show that anti-Palestinian racism has no place in Canada or anywhere else.


Other resources: https://iclmg.ca/iclmg-calls-for-end-to-terror-list/
Tell the Canadian Government to Stop Criminalizing Palestinian Advocacy – Action Network