*TORONTO: **Unprecedented massive protests held over Occupied Kashmircrisis against India in Canada.*

*Tens of thousands of Canadians packed Toronto’s iconic Nathan PhilipSquare to raise their voices in support of the oppressed Kashmiris.*

Organized by Friends of Kashmir, Canada, people from all walks of lifeattended 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 lendsupport to their Kashmiri brothers and sisters. The protesters werecarrying banners reading slogans like, “Modi is the New Hitler”, “Who saidHitler is Dead, Meet Modi, the PM of India”, “12 Million Kashmiris underLockdown” and “Stop Genocide in Kashmir”.

At its peak, the crowd was so large that it could not be accommodated inthe square so people had to climb to the overhead walkway to watch therally below. The rally was held to coincide with India’s independence daycelebrations paid for the Indian Consulate in Toronto where an India FoodFestival was also held.

Realizing the size of the rally in support of the people of Kashmir, Indianconsulate staff maintained a low profile and canceled a number of eventsincluding a formal opening ceremony, settling for music blaring from theirloudspeakers.

The several dozen vendors peddling greasy Indian food were also subdued,preferring to adopt a low profile aware that the rally participants werehighly charged.

Speakers were not just from the Kashmiri or Pakistani communities but alsoincluded such well-known Canadian society figures as Sid Ryan, formerPresident Ontario Federation of Labor, Journalist Phil Taylor of the famousTaylor Report, Peace Activist Ken Stone, Karen Rodman of Just PeaceAdvocates and Human Rights Lawyer, Stephen Ellis.

Framing it in the context of International law and based on UN SecurityCouncil resolutions, speakers repeatedly called upon the Canadiangovernment to take a more forthright stand on the long-festering problem ofKashmir.