In Burlington, students from several schools walked out of their classrooms today calling for a ceasefire in Palestine.
The students were met with a counter protest of adults who said they are worried the students are being indoctrinated. None of the counter protestors agreed to be interviewed on camera or could confirm if they were related to any students.
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More than 100 students from high schools across the city joined forces outside of MM Robinson and united in a call for a ceasefire.
Anousha, one student CHCH News spoke with said, “Students aren’t going to sit here and just watch innocent lives being lost.” “When I go on social media and I see a bunch of dead bodies of women and children, I don’t want to see that anymore.”
The collective strike by the pro-Palestinian students, staff and community members was not sanctioned by the school, or the Halton District School Board.
The students say they hope their walkout encourages local leaders to take a stand.
Another student named Christian said, “We’re trying to put pressure on the elected officials in Burlington, and all around Canada, to show what we stand for.”
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The walkout comes on the heels of an Israeli strike on a school in central Gaza on Thursday that killed at least 35 people, according to the UN agency servicing Palestinian refugees. The school was sheltering displaced families.
The Israeli government says there were Hamas fighters inside the school. But the air strike prompted renewed calls for a ceasefire from world leaders including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday.
The joint statement reads, “We fully support the movement towards a ceasefire and a hostage release deal now on the table and as outlined by President Biden on May 31, 2024. There is no time to lose.”
The Israeli war cabinet, Egypt, Qatar and the G7 all endorse Biden’s peace plan. Hamas has yet to respond.