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Caught in the Riot
at Concordia University
September 9, 2002.
A Letter by Sara Ahronheim,
Dear Friends and Family,
This morning my friends and I set out to Concordia University, in the heart of downtown Montreal, to hear Benjamin Netanyahu (former Prime Minister of Israel) speak. Many articles were featured in the Montreal papers leading up to today's speech, warning of protest action. I had a good idea of what we would face as we approached Concordia, but I could never have predicted what actually happened once we were there.
To enter the building, we had to make a giant circle around it, to get to the supposedly "safe" entrance. We had to walk right through a volatile protest of hundreds of Palestinians and their supporters in keffiyehs, with flags, screaming vitriolic hate. Once having run this gauntlet, we waited patiently outside the Bishop street entrance, held back at the gate by security and police. After about an hour, they started admitting us inside, but it was too late because a huge group of Palestinian 'demonstrators' had appeared in our midst. I was fortunately right at the entrance, and as dozens of violent protesters pushed their way to the front, I tried to get through. Right next to me appeared the ringleader, who tried to push his way in. The cop in front of me punched him in the face while pulling me through the gate at the same time. I rested against the wall and watched as at least a hundred (I think) red-and-green coloured protesters attacked the barriers and tried to get in. Riot cops appeared, dozens of them, and went to the gate as I and a few others were herded into the building. There was yelling and chanting, drumming and fighting going on outside the doors, with hundreds of our people stuck behind the gate being abused by hundreds of violent demonstrators. A few of us were waiting after the metal detectors for our friends to come through, when all of a sudden we heard loud chanting and yelling INSIDE the building. The riot cops came storming in and up the stairs beside us, and we began hearing fighting, crashing, yelling, punching. Chaos broke out and riot cops made us run for the door to the auditorium - I thought we were going to get killed, I swear. It was the scariest feeling, because I knew that these people wanted to hurt me and anyone who supports Israel or is Jewish.
Once inside the auditorium, we were told to be patient as more people would drift in from the insanity outside. We waited inside for three hours, as the commotion outside grew increasingly loud. We could hear chanting and yelling, and the protesters began trashing the university building. The police tear gassed and pepper sprayed the entire building and outside, and we began to feel the effects if we stood too near the doors. After hours of waiting, and bomb searches by RCMP sniffer dogs, we were informed that Bibi Netanyahu could not speak after all - too much danger to him and to us. This was an incredible disappointment and we were naturally upset. We however managed to maintain a kind of composure and instead of fighting, the 650 of us inside began to sing Hatikvah, the national anthem of the State of Israel. We sang peace chants and then just waited to be let out, in groups of 10, escorted by police. The scene as we exited was disgusting. Benches were overturned, papers and garbage streaked across the hallways, and broken windows. We were shoved outside directly into a HUGE Palestinian riot, where some of our people were apparently attacked. The cops did nothing. We stood on one side of the barrier, while they stood on the other, and we faced off. On our side, we sang and danced and celebrated being free and Jewish. On their side, they threw bottles at people's heads, screamed hatred, and tried to break the barriers down to hurt us. They started tossing pennies and coins at us - one of the oldest ways to taunt Jews by saying we're all 'money-grubbing'. While we sang Hatikvah arm in arm, they spat at us. Finally we decided to disperse and leave them to their hatred.
Today was a sick and sorrowful day not only for the Jewish students and community of Montreal, but for Jews everywhere, the city of Montreal and Canada. Today a man was gagged and not allowed to express an opinion; today hundreds of people were denied the opportunity to listen to him speak. Today a riot broke forth on our peaceful streets, and today no police managed to restrain hate. Today Montreal Jews were made to feel afraid for our lives, and today Jewish students were threatened in our own home. If we cannot express ourselves here in Canada, champion of free speech and human rights, where on earth can we do so? If we cannot feel safe in our own cities where we have grown up and thrived, where are we to go?
I can answer my own question with what many of us already know - Israel is our place. She is our homeland, and opens her arms to us, willing to protect us at all costs. The Jewish people need Israel, and she needs us.
Even so, we must voice our distaste at the violence which occurred in Montreal today. We must all take our own individual stands against this fascism, by which freedom of speech was denied. What happened today in my city cannot be condoned or allowed to repeat itself. We must act. So I am sending you all this long letter, with my own personal feelings and an eyewitness account. Please do what you can to see that this message is spread to anyone you can think of - from friends to work associates, to politicians, and from Jews to non-Jews alike. We have a chance to fix these wrongs, but only if we take action and don't sit back as passive observers.
We say NEVER AGAIN, but unless we protest these attacks on our freedoms, it is fruitless to put up that chant.
Last but certainly not least, a personal lament on our situation: today I saw raw hatred, and it cut me to the core. I have never feared for my life as I did today. I have never feared for our free society the way I do today. I wish beyond anything that we can one day fix the agonizing rifts between our peoples, and erase the hate from our and their hearts alike.
Shanah Tovah to all Jewish readers of this letter, and a sweet year. To all non-Jewish readers: thank you for reading, and please understand what I am expressing here. It is most important for you to know what really happened here today, and it is vital that you see this side of the story.
Love always,
Sara Ahronheim
Hello to all.
I have read the letter, forwarded to me by my good friend, and wish to write a response.
I feel I must write while so many strong emotions are racing inside me. I am writing this as NBC plays a story in the background about the air traffic controllers who had to sit helplessly through the horror of 911 exactly one year ago today.
I noticed that many of the recipients are Jewish. I am not, but I am a freedom-loving, open, tolerant individual who was raised a Catholic and who counts himself lucky to have and have had friends who are Jewish.
I have learned so much about life through my interactions with these friends. Your culture is so rich with wisdom and truth. It has made my understanding of what it is to be a human being so much deeper.
I am sorry to say, however, that the letter and the events of the past year have unleashed something inside of me that I am not proud of: HATE.
I cannot remember ever feeling so much hatred.
This hatred for the type of people that were behind the disgusting display of intolerance at Concordia a couple of days ago is also an intellectual one. It is focused on the ideology of terror, single-mindedness, nationalism and bigotry that has brought so much suffering and tragedy to
our world and your people.
I will come out and say it! I think those people who adhere to this insane way of thinking are an aberration on our planet and must be eradicated at all costs! No amount of education, diplomacy or politically correct methods can stop this cancer from engulfing all of us.
I know my thoughts are contradictory - there should be no room for this type of hatred in the kind of person I would like to be. But, how do we defend ourselves? How do we save our children and their children from the evil of
this extremism?
The only answer I have is to support President Bush's plans to bring destruction to all those who threaten our way of life. Those Palestinian supporters who were not Canadian nationals and who exhibited the ugliness of their blind hatred at Concordia should be systematically and mercilessly returned to their totalitarian countries along with all those who think they can achieve their corrupt, insane goals by terror and violence against us!
The disease of political correctness that has fogged the minds of our politicians and lawmakers is making my intolerance towards anyone who threatens our country even more rigid and steadfast. I have no patience for it and will not hesitate to express my disgust to anyone who dares question or threaten my birthrights as a Canadian: freedom of speech, religion, democracy.
This 911 horror is just too much for my spirit.
One quick story which should mean something to most of you. I was lucky enough in October, 1995 to spend 2 weeks in Israel on a business trip. My hosts were Israelis and treated me to a wonderful time. I visited most of Israel and was enchanted by its beauty and history. However, my favourite visit was to Jerusalem. I was in awe! This is the cradle of all our religions and the history and sanctity of our beliefs permeated every stone and corner of the place.
It was hot the day I was there and I decided to buy a baseball cap at a tourist shop to protect my head from the sun. I found one that caught my eye and thought it would be fun to have; across the front were embroidered the words, "ISRAELI ARMY", in English and Hebrew.
My Jewish hosts gave me a grand tour of all the sights: The Wailing Wall where I said a prayer and slipped a piece of paper with my wish in a crack of the ancient Temple stones, King David's tomb, The Holy Sepulchre, the Palestinian bazaar.... And, this is where I experienced first hand the hatred that the Palestinians have for the Jewish people.
Remember that cap I was wearing? Well, I wasn't thinking about it as I walked through the bazaar and took in the sights and smells. I was enjoying myself and didn't really think about all the stern looks I was getting from the Palestinian merchants. Eventually, I started feeling uneasy and also began feeling sorry for these people. How sad and unhappy they looked at their stalls! They must be really suffering because of their history, I thought. Then one of them came right up to my face and said "Shalom" in a
very severe tone. My Jewish friends suddenly grabbed me by the arms and dragged me out of there very quickly. They too had not noticed the cap I was wearing. Outside, they explained how close I had come to being hurt. Itook off the hat and could only laugh at my stupidity.
Anyway, I can sincerely say that for a moment I understood what being Israeli and Jewish was.
If you made it this far in my letter, I want to finish by saying that I am also a very forgiving person. I do not hold grudges. I am still open to acceptance and understanding. I only wish someone would break open even the tiniest crack in the immense wall of Middle Eastern hatred and intolerance. I know your people are open to peace - they are just defending themselves ( I would do the same in an instant) and fighting, as you have always done
throughout your tragic history, for survival. There is room for everyone in this big world, but it must become a very small place for anyone who would dare harm the freedom and values that we all hold dear.
May the open and protective arms of Israel embrace you all and give you the peace and comfort that you so deserve. There is still to this day so much hatred out there for your people. This is one person you can count on for
support, friendship and solidarity if it means anything to you. I'm sorry if my words didn't express everything I wanted to say or of it was done in a clumsy way. I just hope you understood them, at least with your hearts.
Shalom.
Vince Di Clemente