Solidarity march for Afghanistan held in Guelph
A solidarity rally for Afghanistan took place in Guelph on Friday night.
Community members gathered at city hall for a peaceful protest to demand change from the federal government, call for an end to the Taliban, and show solidarity with those in crisis in the war-torn country.
Organizers of the rally say this week has been heartbreaking, adding the community needs to stand in solidarity with their loved ones in Afghanistan.
"The biggest demand that we have as an Afghan community is for Canada to increase the number of Afghan refugees they are taking in. Realistically, if Canada even tripled that number it wouldn't be enough when we are considering 38 million people are impacted," said a rally organizer. "The second one is for Canada to clarify requirements for Afghan refugees …. (and) for our government to engage in proactive diplomacy and apply international pressures."
Maihan Sarwary says his cousin arrived in Canada four days ago after escaping a terrifying situaiton in Afghanistan.
"Our releatives are there, our families," he said. "If my cousin didn't come here four days ago, yesterday he could have been one of those people who got caught in the suicide bomb and lost his life.
"Our people are dying. Our voices need to be heard. Yes our government is helping, but that's not enough."
Hundreds were gathered and holding up signs that said "we want peace" and "save Afghanistan." They also marched through downtown Guelph before the planned peaceful vigil.
"People are coming up to me as the mayor and saying how can I get ahold of the federal government, I have a brother, I have a family that's over there, their daughter has been kidnapped 15 days ago and they can't find her," said Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie.
Attendees also shared poetry and words of despair. They ended the evening with a candle lit vigil as well as a moment of silence for refugees searching for asylum.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
First in Canada procedure performed at London, Ont. hospital
A London man has become the first person in Canada to receive a robotic assisted surgery on his spine. Dave Myeh suffered from debilitating, chronic back pain that led to sciatica in his right now and extreme pain in his lower back.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.