'Free, free, Afghanistan:' Guelph rallies downtown

Guelph’s downtown streets echoed with pro-Afghanistan chants on Friday night as over 100 Afghans and allies took to the streets to voice their dissatisfaction with the situation overseas and the Canadian government’s handling of refugees.

“No more Taliban” and “free, free Afghanistan” were among the slogans chanted.

Organized by the group Afghans of Guelph, the rally began at city hall before those in attendance took to the streets to march.

The march circled downtown and ended back at city hall where a vigil was held.

“Hold your imperialist government accountable, we must urge them to expand their Afghan resettlement program and provide immediate humanitarian aid,” said Hajra Hazzad, Afghans of Guelph organizer and spokesperson. 

Event organizers urged the crowd to stand in solidarity with Afghanistan and write to local government leaders and officials to warn them the situation is worsening and their loved ones are unable to escape the oppressive regime sweeping through the nation.

“I would like to address our white allies, our mayor and Lloyd Longfield our local MP. We are here today because for the last four decades no one heard us, none of this was unfathomable. It was inevitable,” said event organizer and spokesperson Waida Mirzada. “Every single Afghan here knows that.”

The group called for their voices to be heard on a political platform, and for demands from the Afghan community to be listened to as family members of those present are facing unprecedented uncertainty in Afghanistan.

“We are here to support those who are going through war, occupation and imperialism,” said Hazzed. “Over 40 years of it, we are devastated and this is to help amplify Afghan voices in the country who have been absolutely shattered with what has been going on."

Referencing the Canadian commitment to expand their resettlement program to 20,000 refugees from Afghanistan, the group asked the Canadian government to increase the number of refugees they were bringing overseas and to expand the status to include those unable to evacuate from Afghanistan.

“Twenty thousand is not enough, even if you doubled it, even if you tripled that number it is not enough and shame on Canada, its leaders and its forces for abandoning Afghanistan and all of these innocent people. Shame on Canada for halting evacuation efforts,” said Hazzad.

Following a series of speeches, the crowd marched through the streets of Downtown Guelph, passing patios packed with patrons who cheered on the demonstration.