A group of demonstrators calling for a ceasefire in Gaza blocked access to the Port of Vancouver Thursday morning.
The group gathered at Clark and Hastings streets and Commissioner Street at New Brighton Park to block roads leading into the Port of Vancouver.
They’re asking Canada to impose an arms embargo on Israel in an effort to stop violence in Gaza.
“Shipping weapons to Israel makes Canada complicit in genocide,” organizer Maryam Adrangi said in a news release. “The Port of Vancouver is a major artery for Canada’s economy, and community members are here to block the flow of commerce.”
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Canadian research institute Project Ploughshares says Canada had exported military equipment to Israel since at least 1978, when official records began. In 2021, Project Ploughshares cited Government of Canada data reporting nearly $28 million in military equipment was sent to Israel.
It’s not clear if any military equipment was being shipped via the Port of Vancouver Thursday, but demonstrators made it clear they want Canada to stop arming Israel.
Israel continues military action in Gaza, where nearly 30,000 people have been killed — many of them children. Millions have been displaced by Israel’s military action, and access to basic necessities has been cut off. Israel escalated attacks on Gaza following an October 7 offensive by Hamas at an Israeli music festival.