Anti-Israel radicals in downtown Montreal attempt to topple Queen Victoria statue

Roberto Wakerell-Cruz
  |   June 26, 2024   |   Be the first to comment

Anti-Israel radicals who have taken up residence at Montreal's Victoria Square attempted to tear down the statue of Queen Victoria on Monday night.

Police were called and prevented the statue's demise. No attempts were made to dismantle the tents at the square.

"We stand in solidarity with all anti-colonial struggle," said a member of the Divest for Palestine Collective.

“While Queen Victoria was ruling, she oversaw some of the most horrendous violations and crimes throughout the world. […] We should ask the question ‘why are we promoting such figures?’”

Participants of the encampment are demanding that the Quebec pension fund cut ties with Israeli institutions. The occupation is the first in Montreal being held on public land, CityNews reports.

The group behind the protest is also calling for Quebec's Tel Aviv office to be shut down, saying that it legitimizes "the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people."

In a news release, the "Divest for Palestine collective" demands that the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) "immediately divest its $14.2 billion investments in 87 companies complicit in the Israeli occupation."

"We're here now again, in this encampment, having to take things into our own hands," said Sabine Friesinger, reflecting on her activism as a Concordia student roughly 20 years ago.

Another anti-Israel encampment has been going at McGill University since April 27, pressuring McGill through intimidation to divest from companies they claim are tied to Israel. The group expresses "unconditional solidarity with their struggle."

"This fight does not stop at current investments but also at any future complicity with Israel," the press release stated. "To this end, we also demand that the CDPQ establish a transparent control process to guarantee respect for human rights and international law."

In a statement to CityNews, a representative for the CDPQ's media relations said that they were "disturbed by the ongoing conflict and we take these issues very seriously" and are "not making any new investments in a war zone until further notice."

A spokesperson for the CDPQ's said that direct exposure to Israel is less than 0.1% of its portfolio. Despite multi-billion dollar investments in companies like WSP and Alstom, the CDPQ ensures compliance with legal obligations and international standards in Palestine.

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