[R-G] AUDIO: 30 Occupy lobby of Israeli Consulate in Montreal, Protest Massacres in Gaza

[CKUT Community News Collective]

AUDIO report recorded by CKUT Radio (www.ckut.ca) just after 11am on 
Wednesday, January 8th.

MP3:
http://www.ncra.ca/business/admin_ncra/progex/programFiles/53/MontrealOccupation.mp3

AUDIO WEB LINKS:
http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/31038
http://www.ncra.ca/exchange/dspProgramDetail.cfm?programID=79399


MONTREAL, January 8, 2009 -- Approximately 30 people entered the lobby 
of the Israeli consulate this morning to serve an eviction notice to 
consular staff, demanding the expulsion of the Consular General and an 
immediate end to the Israeli invasion and siege of Gaza.

"The Canadian government's support for the ongoing atrocities in Gaza is 
totally unacceptable. Canada should immediately end diplomatic ties with 
the Israeli apartheid regime, starting with the expulsion of Israeli 
representatives from Canada. Since the Canadian government has refused 
to do so, we are taking action ourselves," said Aaron Lakoff, one of the 
participants.

  Demonstrators arrived at the Consulate on the 6th floor of Westmount 
Square in Montreal, condemning consular officials in English, French and 
Hebrew for the massacres committed in Gaza. They blocked access to the 
consulate for almost two hours before being physically expelled by 
police. Journalists were denied access to the lobby, and two CTV and 
Radio-Canada cameramen were shoved into an elevator by police.

During the action, demonstrators chanted slogans such as "Fight the 
power, turn the tide, end Israeli apartheid!" calling for a boycott of 
Israel, and addressed consular officials through the intercom.

"Since the Israeli assault began, over 700 Gazans have been killed and 
nearly 3100 have been injured, with no place to escape the relentless 
bombing of schools, homes, mosques, and places of refuge. The besieged 
hospitals in Gaza are overwhelmed," said Sophie Schoen, another organizer.

  "This devastating level of violence has defined Israel since its 
inception, and goes hand in hand with its apartheid system. We must not 
forget that the vast majority of Gazans are refugees who were ethnically 
cleansed from other parts of Palestine with the founding of the state of 
Israel in 1948," said Meg Leitold to participants.

"Israeli apartheid could not continue without moral and economic support 
from Canada and Quebec," she said, calling for a boycott of Israel.

As police pushed them out, demonstrators left chanting "Boycottons 
Israel, liberez Palestine!" Similar actions will take place until Canada 
and Quebec cease their support for Israeli violence and apartheid.

Media contacts:

Mostafa Henaway (514) 659-0106 (English / Arabic); Matan Cohen (514) 
848-7583 (English / Hebrew) ; Sophie Schoen (514) 998-7243 (French)

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