"Biden/Harris: End This Madness"
CONFIRMED ACTIONS:
- Thursday 24 October – 11am to 7pm – across street from USA Embassy (Byward Market side)
- Saturday 26 October – 11am to 1:30pm – same location
promo materials and more info: tinyurl.com/613embassy4gaza
This action is to bring the message of medical professionals who have served in Gaza over the past year, to Ottawa, to the Embassy of the USA.
99 medical professionals from the USA have written to their country’s President and Vice-President, stating their experiences and observations as some of the only independent observers permitted to enter Gaza this past year.
They demand that the USA follow its own laws and thus stop supporting Israel as it continues to violate international law, and in particular impose an arms embargo on all sides, and also ensure basic humanitarian measures are taken.
Here in Ottawa, we will stand vigil outside the USA embassy, with a large printed version of the letter that all can read.
Further signage can be consistent with the messages contained in the letter, available at GazaHealthcareLetters.org
The website also has Canadian and UK letters written to those countries’ rulers by medical professionals from the respective countries who have served in Gaza. The action will simultaneously raise the profile of the Canadian letter.
This action will not necessarily be loud or confrontational; the goal is to have a presence and make the message clear.
HOW TO SUPPORT THIS ACTION
This action is being taken in consultation and with support of signees of the letters from both USA and Canada, who are not themselves in Ottawa / able to attend the action(s), and with local medical professionals and other concerned people.
However, we need more local people to solidify this action!
1) Promote of the action(s) through a variety of channels, in advance and also during the action(s). Here is a link to a folder of promotion material to use.
2) Attend the action(s) – not everyone can attend a weekday action, but many people can*.
Being there for whatever duration you can be there, at either or both actions, is welcome and important. The weekday action is planned to go until 7pm to allow those who work until ~5pm to still attend afterwards.
*Carleton University is on reading week this week, so we hope to see a large turnout of people from that campus!
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On the evening of Friday 25 October, there is a Gala in Ottawa to fundraise for the Glia medical clinics in Gaza, that will feature as speakers four medical professionals with experience in Gaza.
The Saturday action aims to feature (some of) those speakers, and other local medical professionals who are unable to attend on Thursday due to their work.
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Short promo video with the three posters for these actions, set to music (part of the verse by MC Abdul from the song Hind's Hall 2):
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xq4zrVFNFPA
