About 400 protesters gathered at the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in Victoria in support of the Palestinian people, for the seventeenth weekend in a row, to demand a ceasefire in Gaza and the end of the Israeli occupation.

Free Palestine Rally @ Victoria, BC: 2024/02/04 13:56:26

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Still coming after seventeen weeks, ready to keep coming for seventeen more. He’s losing count of them by the way.

A strong queer contingent in support of Palestine today. Let’s hope homosexuals’ rights improve over there after so many rallied around it in its darkest hour.

The Legislature precincts have long turned into a mudpit. We should rename this place the bog, where good causes come to mire into the swamp of partisan politics.

This weekend’s focus was on rallying educators behind the Palestinian flag. Multiple teachers took the mic to voice their angst at seeing so few of their numbers denouncing the genocide in Gaza, in spite of the Israel Defence Forces systematically eradicating Palestinian culture and institutions, in stark conflict with academic values. The same outrage was voiced at a recent UVic walkout with attracted about 440 people.

Another old lady in a wheelchair, bravely confronting her government every week. Quit making excuses to stay home.

Activist Mark Grill in particular expressed his dismay after recounting how he reached out to the BC Teachers’ Federation looking for any kind of endorsement, only to be perfunctorily rebuffed. So far it’s proven very difficult to get worker unions to officially join the fray, which was the aim of last weekend’s demonstration.

A lone CUPE flag today. I hear whispers left and right that battles rage behind closed doors of union meetings.

Of course a common grievance among protesters was Minister of Post-Secondary Education Selina Robinson, who’s facing widespread calls for her resignation or dismissal after describing Gaza as a “a crappy piece of land with nothing on it.” Some in attendance expressed the view that no amount of apologies would be accepted, even if she rinsed her mouth with Drano.

Proud member of Selina Robinson’s fan club. There were many of her supporters among the crowd today.

Emergency action in #SurreyBC tomorrow at All NDP MLA Retreat.

If coming from out of town by transit you have many direct bus options from Surrey Central Station, including the R1 Rapid Bus #FireSelinaRobinson #ResignSelinaRobinson pic.twitter.com/WEIy5SmL8g
— Anti-Police Power Surrey (@appsurrey) February 5, 2024

Selina Robinson’s fan club rally tomorrow morning in Surrey. I wish I could attend…

Then came the time for the march. As usual a small group of counterprotesters awaited, but this time several Palestine supporters rushed to screen them by forming a wall before the cops were in formation, and some even walked around it with the intent of engaging with hostiles, only to be dissuaded by wardens and the police. There really seems to be a rift within the community pertaining to whether, and how, to confront hostiles; I would personally advise against it, since they only stand to benefit by instigating confrontation.

The wall. There are hostiles standing metres behind it.

Our usual welcome committee. Don’t bother confronting them, they’re a lost cause.

Charles Bodi the hero valiantly defending the last standing Burger King from millions of Hamas-loving terrorists crashing into the gates. By the way, he almost got gang-raped by a herd of female wardens in heat at the Legislature a couple weeks ago.

VicPD intervenes after a protester engages with Bodi. Please don’t do this, that’s exactly what he wants.

I like blunt. If only this sign could double as a bludgeon.

By the way, a vigil for Palestine will be held at the Legislature on Valentine’s Day, February 14th, at 7PM. There will be no speakers, only an opportunity to collectively mourn the victims of the genocide.