Activism, backlash, and ceasefire
In the second week of October, organizers at Toronto Students for Palestine (TSSP) and their coalition kicked off this year’s Week of Rage at the University of Toronto. The events took place mostly at the University of Toronto’s St. George and Mississauga campuses. It began with a vigil for Gaza and its martyrs on October 7, a controversial day that marks the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the consequent Israeli genocide in Gaza.
The vigil took place in front of Sidney Smith Hall. In the cold and the rain, a group of protestors stood outside with umbrellas in hand, facing a picture of a man from Gaza with candles surrounding it. The speaker spoke about the man being one casualty of many who have been slaughtered during the ongoing genocide in Gaza, and she then began to pray.
The following day, the group held a Two Years of Rage rally, pushing for an end to the University of Toronto’s complicity in the genocide. The rally was peaceful on all accounts. It began at Sidney Smith and moved across St. George Street and Hoskin Avenue to reach King’s College Circle. Throughout the rally, the speakers lamented UofT’s dependence on Zionist donors for their initiatives.
The events of the week, compared to the events of last year, did not receive as much mainstream attention. However, it did receive attention from Joe Warmington of the Toronto Sun, an explicitly conservative commentator who writes for a pro-Israel outlet. In the Toronto Sun, he described the group’s action as antisemitic and honouring the slaughter of Jewish People.
On October 10, the last day of Rage Week, the first phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect, due to a deal proposed by US President Donald Trump and their Middle Eastern allies. According to them, there will be several phases following the first phase that will lead to the release of hostages on both sides and a complete end to the war on Gaza.
As of October 24th, the ceasefire is still shakily in place, but the Israeli Army has murdered over 100 Palestinians and continued to block aid to Gaza. The Israeli government has also voted in their parliament (the Knesset) to supposedly “symbolically” annex the West Bank, which is the territory of over three million Palestinian people. This has prompted backlash from the United States government and the Arab States, who believe it may threaten the ceasefire. These persisting attacks on Palestinian lives and sovereignty demonstrate why students are still protesting, and suggest that groups like Toronto Students in Solidarity with Palestine will work to maintain their presence on campus.