Pickets in multiple cities and towns happened as part of the Days of Action to tell Scotiabank to divest completely from Israeli arms dealer Elbit Systems. There were 12 announced locations across the country where activists were out on the streets to demand that Scotiabank stop funding genocide!
The accompanying Action Network writing campaign has already resulted in over 5700 letters being sent to Scotiabank and its global asset fund with the same message. Please send your letter if you haven’t already done so.
Mission, BCEdmonton, ABKatarokwi/Kingston, ONVictoria, BC Multiple branches picketed in VancouverVideos from Tecumseh, ON
Join one of the following picket locations during the Scotiabank Days of Action on December 13/14!
Lower Mainland BC:
Friday Dec 13 at 3 pm Mission BC 33217 1st Ave ScotiaBank branch
Saturday, Dec 14 9:30 am Vancouver One hour picket at the Manitoba & 1st Ave Branch *sponsored by East Van Worker’s Assembly
Dec. 14, 10:45 am Vancouver W. Broadway & MacDonald Scotiabank branch
Dec. 14, 11 am Vancouver Robson and Bute branch
Other Locations:
Dec. 14, 11:00 am Victoria Scotiabank main branch, 702 Yates St. *sponsored by IJV Victoria and others
Friday, Dec. 13 at 330 pm. Windsor, ON 388 Ouellette Ave, Windsor branch *sponsored by Windsor4Palestine
Saturday, Dec. 14, 12 pm Tecumseh ON Scotiabank at 21 Amy Croft Dr.
Saturday, Dec. 14, 12 pm (noon) Toronto ON Scotiabank at 70 Carlton St.
Friday, December 13th, 4:00 pm Edmonton Scotiabank at 11550 104 Ave NW
Friday, December 13 at 2:00pm Katarokwi/Kingston Downtown branch – 101 Princess St. Midtown branch – 863 Princess St.
Saturday, Dec. 14 at 10 am. Owen Sound, ON 857 2nd Ave E, Owen Sound branch *sponsored by Palestine Solidarity Grey Bruce
Send your letter to Scotiabank officials to demand they divest completely from Israeli arms dealer Elbit and end their complicity in Israeli genocide! Our first action campaign resulted in over 13,000 letters being sent to Scotiabank management. Join us as we continue to expose and shame such blatant war profiteering from Scotiabank! Tell ScotiaBank to Divest Completely from Elbit Systems! – Action Network
Activists in Vancouver came out to shame and expose Scotiabank for their investment in Israeli arms dealer Elbit Systems. Despite unusually cold weather, a large and spirited picket was held at the intersection at Broadway and Commercial during the busy rush hour. Under the big banner of “Israel bombs, Scotiabank pays”, the picket was highly visible and received great support from cars, buses, trucks and pedestrians. (Photos courtesy Michael YC Tseng)
We know that people are fed up with the support of both Canadian big business and the government for Israeli genocide and war crimes. Stay tuned for more actions coming up on Dec. 13/14!
We are appalled and outraged by the excessive police action yesterday in Vancouver against local activist Charlotte Kates. We demand answers from the VPD and Ken Sim regarding this ridiculous ramping up of intimidation of pro-Palestine advocates. Why did you need the Emergency Response Team, decked out in full tactical gear with an armoured vehicle, to execute one search warrant in a quiet residential house currently inhabited by one woman? Are you trying to convince others that those who support Palestine are dangerous and thus require this over-the-top repression? According to news sources, even her neighbours were horrified (and frightened) at the level of force employed.
All you have proven is that Vancouver police are quickly descending into the most despicable kind of tactics, and showing their own ineptitude and lack of respect for the most basic rights of people.
The local Palestinian community will remember this latest action (and others before) that have exposed the anti-Palestinian racism inherent in your administration.
Hanna Kawas, Chair Canada Palestine Association – Vancouver ________________________________________
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.”
