Demonstrations supporting the pro-democracy movement in Egypt took place in communities across Canada today.
Here in Ottawa more than 300 people gathered on Parliament Hill (see picture) and then marched to the Human Rights Monument near City Hall. A highlight before the march was a cellphone call – amplified from loudspeakers for the crowd – from a woman in Tahrir Square in Cairo sharing her first-hand account of the situation there.
The Toronto Star reports that, “Protesters say the resignation of leaders of Egypt’s ruling party only increases their desire to see the departure of President Hosni Mubarak, who has ruled the country for nearly 30 years. ‘Mubarak: Go! Go! Let the tree of freedom grow’, about 600 pro-democracy protesters (the Canadian Press reported 1,000) chanted during a demonstration and march in downtown Toronto Saturday. …A group holding up letters that spelled “Yes Democracy No Mubarak,” led a march along College St. to Yonge St. and then back to the legislature via Wellesley St.” More on that at http://www.thestar.com/news/article/933983–protesters-call-for-mubarak-to-step-down?bn=1 and http://www.680news.com/news/national/article/179478–canadians-rally-to-demand-egypt-s-president-resign-and-free-elections-be-held.
NEWS 1130 also reports that a rally took place in Vancouver this afternoon, http://www.news1130.com/news/local/article/179589–another-wave-of-local-support-for-protesters-in-egypt.
CBC reports that family-friendly rallies also took place in Montreal, Windsor, Winnipeg and Edmonton.
For the campaign blog ‘NEWS: Protests for democracy continue in Egypt’, go to http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=6244.
