Demonstrators at U.S. Embassy in Ottawa protest against Trump's travel ban
"There is no safety for anyone seeking refuge coming to Canada through the United States now," said Paul Dewar, a former NDP MP who held the riding of Ottawa Centre for years, at the protest, CBCNews reports said.
The U.S. travel ban and the Sunday night shooting inside a Quebec City mosque that left six people dead are both about division and hate, Amira Elghawaby, a spokesperson for the National Council of Canadian Muslims, told the crowd on Sussex Drive Monday afternoon.
"We have to stand loudly and clearly against all hate, from wherever it comes," Elghawaby told the crowd.
"We are deeply concerned about rising Islamophobia here in Canada, and we fear this policy will aggravate this phenomenon," CBCNews reports said.
One of the facebook posts of Amira Elghawaby stated,
“This is so so horrific. Our prayers for the deceased and for their loved ones. Inna lillahi wa inna lillahi rajaoon. To God we Belong and to Him we return.”
One of the facebook posts of the US Embassy Ottawa stated,
“Embassy Chargé d’Affaires @ElizabethAubin offers condolences following Quebec City attack.”
The RCMP said 1,100 people were at the embassy during the peak time of the protest, around 12:45 p.m. ET.
"Today we stand together against those who want to divide us. ... We welcome those who need to seek refuge, that Canada is open to you. And we say to Mr. Trump, your policies, your edicts are not welcome here. They don't reflect our values and they do not reflect the values of Americans," said Dewar, CBCNews reports said.
Dewar added that the federal government should ask Trump to repeal the ban, and until then the government should suspend the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement.
Dewar also said that the City of Ottawa should serve as a haven for people seeking refuge.
One of the facebook posts of Paul Dewar stated,
“Very proud of my city and community today as we gathered to say no to President Trump's travel ban and yes to Ottawa as a.”
Earlier Alex Neve, the secretary general of Amnesty International Canada said the same adding that
U.S. was no longer a safe place for people seeking refuge.
"It is imperative that the government act immediately to rescind that designation of the United States as a safe country for refugees. That needs to happen. That needs to happen before the end of the day," Alex Neve said.
Between speakers the crowd chanted phrases including "No hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here," and "No bans, no walls, sanctuary for one and all," CBCNews reports said.
(Reported by Asha Bajaj,Image: US President Twitter page)
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
