Community members blocked the Hanlon Expressway last night during a protest for Palestine.
The protest started at about 7:10 p.m. and ended at 7:45 p.m. after police threatened to arrest people, said Shabina, Lafleur-Gangji, member of Show Up Guelph, a local group that supports community action and organizing.
She was asked to come to the protest to document it by taking photos and videos.
Protestors lined up hand in hand on the crosswalk at the intersection of the Hanlon Expressway and Paisley Street.
Before police arrived a car drove through the crowd and other cars tried to do the same “but then it became clear that people weren't going to move,” said Lafleur-Gangji.
Other people got out of their cars and yelled at the protestors.
“And all these people were like, really mad that the road was being blocked and threatening people, but people kept as calm and as peaceful as they could,” she said.
Protestors chanted and tried to direct traffic.
The reason why the intersection could have been chosen for the protest is that it’s a high traffic area and it sends a message, said Lafleur-Gangji.
People are feeling helpless and hopeless that the government isn’t doing anything, she said.
She thinks people feel abandoned by their politicians and she would like to see communication from MP Lloyd Longfield and Mayor Cam Guthrie.
“I do think that, you know, change starts in smaller pockets,” said Lafleur-Gangji. If the municipal government puts pressure on the provincial government than it can put pressure on the federal government to do something, she said.
She thinks as long as the war goes on people will continue to protest.
Outside Guelph city hall on Feb. 24 at noon there will be another protest with speeches, and a march. It’s being organized by a coalition of different groups including Show Up Guelph, Independent Jewish Voices Guelph and about a dozen others.