Tens of thousands of Canadians packed Toronto’s iconic Nathan Philip Square to raise their voices in support of the oppressed people of Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK).
Organized by Friends of Kashmir Canada, people from all walks of life belonging to all faiths attended the protest demonstration.
They included Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and people of other faiths.
Young and old, children as well as people in wheelchairs were there to lend support to their Kashmiri brothers and sisters.
The protesters were carrying banners reading slogans like, “Modi is the New Hitler”, “Who said Hitler is Dead, Meet Modi, the PM of India”, “12 Million Kashmiris under Lockdown” and “Stop Genocide in Kashmir”, reported by Kashmir Media Service.
At its peak, the crowd was so large that it could not be accommodated in the square so people had to climb to the overhead walkway to watch the rally below.
The rally was held to coincide with India’s Independence Day celebrations paid for by the Indian Consulate in Toronto where an India Food Festival was also held.
Realizing the size of the rally in support of the people of Kashmir, Indian consulate staff maintained a low profile and cancelled a number of events including a formal opening ceremony, settling for music blaring from their loudspeakers.
According to reports, several dozen vendors peddling greasy Indian food were also subdued, preferring to adopt a low profile aware that the rally participants were highly charged.
