Protesters in Montreal urge Carney to keep Canada out of Middle East conflicts

People take part in a demonstration against the war being waged by the United States and Israel against Iran and Lebanon in Montreal on Saturday, March 21, 2026. (The Canadian Press/Graham Hughes)

Hundreds of protesters gathered Saturday in downtown Montreal to call on the Canadian government and Prime Minister Mark Carney to avoid participating in ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

Chants such as “In Iran, enough war” and “U.S., back off, Iran is not yours” echoed through the streets as demonstrators voiced opposition to actions by the United States and Israel.

The rally, against the wars in Iran and Lebanon, was organized jointly by Stop the War Collective, Divest for Palestine, the Quebec Emergency Palestine Coalition, and the Palestinian Youth Movement.

Many participants also criticized recent statements by Carney, who has suggested helping to secure navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, even though he said Canada would not take part in the conflict.

Mona Ghassemi, president and spokesperson for the Canadian-Iranian Congress, specifically addressed the prime minister.

“The Canadian-Iranian Congress condemns Prime Minister Mark Carney’s hypocritical support of U.S.-Israeli aggression against Iran,” she said.

Raymond Legault, spokesperson for Stop the War Collective, said the protest aimed not only to oppose the U.S. and Israeli wars in Lebanon and Iran, but also to denounce ongoing violence in Gaza and demand that Canada speak out against and refrain from participating in these actions.

Boutaina Chafi, spokesperson for the Palestinian Youth Movement, added that Quebecers have been urging the federal government for months to stop arms shipments to Israel via the United States.

“As long as Carney does not respond to the demands of the majority of the population, we will continue to mobilize in large numbers to assert that we are against these endless wars in our region,” Chafi said in a press release Saturday.

“The goal is to send a strong message: democracy in our countries cannot come through bombing, destruction, or the killing of civilians. That is not how change happens,” she said in an interview during the demonstration.

Danielle, a protester, said she opposed the war because it “has no justification” and is “against the international order.”

“It’s strange,” she said. “When Israel invaded Gaza to carry out its genocide, people said Israel has the right to defend itself. Now people are saying Iran has no right to defend itself. What does that even mean?”

“The Canadian government should never offer to participate in a war like this,” she concluded.

Some participants had personal connections to the conflicts in Iran and Lebanon.

An Iranian woman, whose family still lives partly in Iran, said she came to speak out against the war.

Sami, another protester, said his family had been particularly affected by the conflict.

“My entire family in Lebanon has been displaced. I lost members of my family, especially for imperialist goals by Israel and American capitalists,” he told The Canadian Press.

Greg Beaune, vice-president of the Quebec Peace Movement, was also at the rally. His group, which campaigns against war in general, mobilized to send a clear anti-imperialist message.

“For us, it is very important, as members of Quebec and Canadian society, to mobilize widely to keep pressure on the Carney government and prevent it from making a very bad decision, which would be to side with the United States,” Beaune said.

By Anja Conton

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on March 21, 2026.