Labour activists organizing for Palestine

 

Organizers draw links between Israel’s war on Palestine, Indigenous genocide, and the growing housing and economic crisis in Canada

Barely 24 hours before this year’s International Workers’ Day rally in St. John’s, police and masked workers displaced unhoused people living in a tent encampment on the grounds of Colonial Building. 

The camp’s dismantling came less than 48 hours ahead of the arrival of the first cruise ship of the tourist season — a move that fueled protesters’ anger at a provincial government they say is putting tourist revenue above the needs of residents. 

On Saturday, local community groups spoke at the rally in Bannerman Park with deep emotion, some of their voices cracking as they described the eviction. Others were shaky, dripping with anger. All of them drew connections between the plight of Palestinians, settler-colonial genocide against Indigenous peoples, and the housing and economic crisis this province is currently experiencing.

“The Beothuk were victims of genocide and settler-colonial violence,” organizer Daniel Smith said, opening the rally. “A land acknowledgement is meant to be an explicit reminder of the historic and ongoing injustices and genocide against Indigenous peoples here and everywhere — this includes Palestine.”

Nicolay Hristozov, an organizer with Labour For Palestine St. John’s, said Palestinian workers “have a long and underappreciated history of using organized labour to fight the occupation of their homeland.

“But when every attempt to stand up for their rights is met with Israeli bullets, when the occupation drags on into its 57th year with no end in sight, when the exile of Palestinians has been going on for over 75 years, Palestinian workers need international solidarity,” he said.

“Don’t let anyone make you apologize for caring about Palestine. Palestinians live in our communities. They are our neighbours, our co-workers, our friends, our comrades. And we’re here to show them that they are not forgotten.”  (more...)

Labour activists organizing for Palestine