[van-announce] March for Palestine at the Community March Against Racism, Saturday, March 23

[Charlotte Kates]

*March for Palestine at the Community March Against Racism, Saturday, March
23*

>From the ethnic cleansing of Palestine in 1948, to the ongoing denial of
millions of Palestinian refugees’ right to return home, to the
institutionalized racism, apartheid and discrimination practiced against
Palestinians in Israel, to the military occupation of the West Bank and its
checkpoints, Apartheid Wall, land confiscation and home demolitions, to the
mass imprisonment of thousands of Palestinians, to the ongoing siege of
Gaza, the Israeli state (fully supported by the Canadian government) has
always been a clear manifestation of racism. Boycott, Divestment and
Sanctions (BDS) is one international tool called for by the Palestinian
movement to isolate Israel until it ends its ongoing racism, apartheid and
war crimes.

As part of the struggle to confront Israeli apartheid and racism and
support Palestinian rights, we also confront Canada’s own settler colonial
reality, including racism, oppression, violence against indigenous people,
exclusion and targeting of refugees and immigrants, criminalization and
incarceration.

The Community March Against
Racism<https://www.facebook.com/events/470528346341308/>in Vancouver
commemorates the International Day for the Elimination of
Racism, which marks the anniversary of the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre in
South Africa when police opened fire on hundreds of South Africans
protesting against Apartheid’s passbook laws. It is an occasion to march
against racism in Canada, against Israeli apartheid, and for liberation and
justice for Palestine and our communities. The Arab, Palestinian and Muslim
communities in Canada continue to be targets for racism, both here and in
Palestine. As Gaza is under attack, as Palestine is under attack, and as
communities here are under attack, it is urgent that we join together in
solidarity and resistance with No One Is Illegal – Vancouver and numerous
communities to stand together to confront and challenge apartheid, racism
and oppression.

*Palestine solidarity groups around Vancouver will join in the Community
March Against Racism, Saturday, March 23. Gather at 2 pm at Clark Park
(14th and Commercial) for the start of the rally. Join us and March for
Palestine! *
*
*
*Queers Against Israeli Apartheid - Vancouver *will be marching together at
the rally with a QuAIA banner, stickers and more!
*
*
*The Boycott Israeli Apartheid Campaign *will march in the rally against
racism and occupation, from this land to Palestine!

Many others will be joining in as well - and we hope that you can join us!

*March Announcement Below: *

*Annual Community March Against Racism

Saturday March 23
Starts at 2 pm at Clark Park (Commercial Drive and 14th)
Vancouver, Unceded Musqueam, Skwxwú7mesh, and Tsleil Waututh Territories*
*Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/470528346341308/*

*Family-friendly festivities! Bring your neighbours, banners and drums!
Solidarity, relationships and healing among Mother Earth`s children*

WATCH VIDEOS FROM LAST YEAR:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQii7Z9-yAw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_UM4nj_iyU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYa9cKAvgR4

The International Day for the Elimination of Racism marks the anniversary
of the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa when police opened fire on
hundreds of South Africans protesting against Apartheid's passbook laws,
killing 67 and wounding 186. Every year we join friends and allies around
the world to mark this day and to speak the truth about racism.

We stand in solidarity with the courageous leadership demonstrated by
Indigenous communities across Turtle Island, most recently evident in the
Idle No More movement. We also recognize that Idle No More is one
mobilization amongst centuries of ongoing Indigenous resistance against
colonialism.

This country is founded on the exploitation and marginalization of
racialized communities, including dispossession and displacement of
Indigenous nations, theft of resources from the global South, as well as
the enslavement, exclusion and exploitation of diverse communities of
colour. This country is marked by the forced confinement of Indigenous
children in residential schools and the internment of Japanese-Canadian
children in camps. Today we see the same logic resulting in Indigenous
children being forcibly apprehended from their families and refugee
children being incarcerated and facing mandatory detention.

Today we need to stand together and renew our anti-racist resistance. We
need to show that we will not be complicit in racism. These are just some
examples of devastating policies and projects that we stand against:

* Mass criminalization and incarceration under Harper's new omnibus crime
bill and Kenney's omnibus refugee exclusion act.
* Tragedies of missing and murdered Indigenous women across these lands.
* Omnibus Bill C-45 that reduces environmental protections and threatens
Indigenous sovereignty by privatizing Indigenous lands.
* Increasing restrictions on immigration and family sponsorship while
expanding exploitative temporary worker programs.
* Bailing out banks while communities of colour live in poverty and face
low wages, poor pensions, dangerous working conditions, and unemployment.
* Corporate destruction and environmental racism on Indigenous territories
from pipelines in Alberta and BC to Canadian mining operations across
Africa and Latin America.
* Involvement in military occupations from Afghanistan to Palestine to
Mali, and Tory plans to expand Canadian military bases around the world.
* Racist stereotyping, fear-mongering and scapegoating continues to
permeate the media, education system, policing institutions, and workplaces.

We encourage our friends and allies to be pro-active in countering racism.
Join us in solidarity and resistance on March 23rd to celebrate the
dignity, strength, and resilience of our communities.

For more information email noii-van at resist.ca or call 778 885 0040
http://www.nooneisillegal.org/

--
Charlotte L. Kates     charlotte.kates at gmail.com