More than two dozen people showed up to the Simcoe County 4 Palestine vigil for Gaza on Saturday morning in downtown Orillia
The vigil is one of many organized by the group in response to the conflict between Palestine and Israel.
The group set up a board to post the photos and stories of many healthcare workers killed in the conflict.
They wished to bring awareness to the numbers of lives lost and issue a call for justice. One speaker noted hospitals are supposed to be protected spaces, and yet more than 800 healthcare workers in Palestine have been killed.
Some people in attendance have direct ties to the events in Gaza and were emotional while speaking. Some, however, attended simply as a stand for peace.
“I don’t like living in a world with war,” said one attendee.
Organizer Madeleine Fournier spoke first, comparing the situation in Gaza to other historical events, including the treatment of Indigenous peoples in Canada.
More locally, she pointed to plaque at the corner of West and Mississaga streets, were the vigil was held, that details the founding of Orillia. Many present made note of the Coldwater Experiment as a link to some of the tactics in Gaza.
“We’re all human. If you turn a blind eye to genocide, it’s a problem with your moral compass … a compass used in the dark, and these are our darkest hours,” one speaker said through tears.
Fournier recognized a group that gathered weekly for more than 10 years at the same corner to promote peace.
“We really want to honour their spirit and pay tribute to those people who paved the way for us to have the courage to be on the street corner, calling for peace, calling for justice,” she said.
Margaret Ford, who helped organize the weekly peace vigils against the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, recognized the same causes at the vigil for Gaza. She said nationalism as “the root of our troubles” and that “war is vicious and evil.”
“There’s no answer in war,” said Sophy Cooper, Ford’s daughter, who also participated in the weekly vigils.
One speaker spoke of the problematic definition of antisemitism and the voices that have been silenced and need to be heard. Then, a passerby in a vehicle yelled out of his window.
“I’ve got enough money in my bank account to send you all to Gaza if you like it so much,” he said, continuing with profanities at the red light, shouting “free the hostages” as he drove off.
The woman who was speaking directed to the crowd to ask anyone shouting at them if they would like to join the vigil. She suggested those present smile when facing negativity or counterprotesters.
“All of our struggles are connected,” she continued.
Though no police were present, and numerous people shouted obscenities from vehicles, the general message at the vigil was to recognize the atrocities of war and genocide and to not ignore them.
Sarah Tilley has followed what has been occurring in Palestine sine the early 2000s and recalled attending protests in Toronto. She spoke to the crowd, saying it may feel small but to not be dismayed.
“No matter how small it feels, no matter how hopeless it can feel, please don’t ever lose hope to the fact that we are part of something bigger,” she said.
When she was 19 years old, Tilley started getting involved in organizations similar to Simcoe County 4 Palestine. In the early 2000s, she was moved by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and has remained a supporter of the cause since.
One attendee remarked about the importance of being a voice for those who have a limited ability to speak.
“There’s an excellent amount of literature” available at the table, he said as he noted the value of being part of a coalition.
“I think a lot of people don’t know what’s going on. You hear the word ‘occupation,’ but unless you’ve lived through it or know someone who has lived through it, you don’t appreciate it,” he said.
Organizers and attendees also addressed the importance of politicians in times like this. Fournier encouraged those people to contact political representatives and ask for their positions on these matters.
“Many Conservative MPs in our region have voted against a ceasefire,” she said.
“Elected officials don’t speak for us,” she continued, adding she believes most people are “on the side of justice and humanity.”
A young woman who came across the vigil while on her way to the farmers’ market took to the microphone.
“As soon as I saw this set up, it made me feel proud to be Canadian,” she said.
She expressed her understanding of the issues in Palestine and what she felt compelled to do from her standpoint.
“The best thing as a Westerner is to show up, show my support, and say that I am seeing what is happening in Gaza … and ensure that people don’t realize what’s happening until it’s too late,” she said.
Simcoe County 4 Palestine was formed in November 2023. Since then, Fournier explained, the group has organized more than 50 demonstrations. She believes people are overwhelmingly sympathetic to the cause and said, like many present on Saturday, speaking up is the best action they can take.
