On about 48 hours notice, at least 120 rallied and marched in opposition to the siege and bombardment of Gaza in Hamilton today, letting fellow citizens hear their outrage through chants, leaflets and local media outlets. “Defend Gaza,” an ad-hoc committee formed to organize against the Gaza siege, called the event. Other organizers in Hamilton arranged for buses to take people to Toronto's rally.

As the Israeli military begins a ground invasion, it was reported from the bull horn at the demonstration that local activists have recently lost family members in Gaza to Israeli military bombs. Right now, to stand with those calling for an end to this imperialist brutality is the least we can do. In the future, if strategies like divestment from Israel, diplomatic pressure and disentanglement from US empire are to be seriously implemented, we have our own work to do here at home to achieve a political system capable of taking these actions.