Pro-Palestinian demonstrators removed from Parliament after interrupting proceedings

A handful of demonstrators interrupted question period on Parliament Hill on Wednesday, pausing proceedings for several minutes, chanting pro-Palestinian slogans.

The Palestinian Youth Movement took credit for the demonstration, which included the unfurling of banners in the public gallery of the House of Commons calling for an arms embargo.

Rising to their feet, the demonstrators chanted for approximately 90 seconds, expressing "free Palestine," and "stop arming Israel."

The protesters started shouting just as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had finished answering a question from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre in the early stages of question period.

Conservative and Bloc Quebecois MPs reported seeing one or more NDP MPs applauding the demonstrators, according to The Canadian Press, which also reported that Conservative MPs yelled "shame" at the NDP benches, while NDP MP Blake Desjarlais rose to his feet yelling "shame" back.

"We need to make sure that we allow groups to have their voices and that's exactly what happened," Treasury Board President Anita Anand said following question period. "And then we resumed our business."

House of Commons security and the Parliamentary Protective Service ushered the protesters out of the gallery and into a vestibule where they were held for several minutes.

Speaker of the House of Commons Greg Fergus stopped debate for two minutes, before resuming proceedings.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responds during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Feb. 14, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

As they were being escorted out of West Block, a number of the protesters continued to chant.

"We are a group of concerned citizens that's against genocide of Palestinians and our country is not only complicit, but aiding in the genocide of Palestinians," one unidentified protestor told CTV News as she was being led to a security vehicle in handcuffs.

In a statement posted online after the protest, the group said "we refuse to be silent and let business continue as usual while Canada sells arms to Israel."

When question period resumed, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh asked Trudeau about Canada authorizing $28.5 million in new military exports to Israel's government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"The prime minister has the power and responsibility to protect civilians. When will the prime minister stop selling arms to Netanyahu?" Singh asked.

In response, Trudeau said Canada has not issued any new export permits since Oct. 7.

Global Affairs Canada has said, according to The Canadian Press, that arms have not been sent to Israel in decades, but Ottawa does permit the export of military technology and "non-lethal" goods.

Any visitor who comes to Parliament Hill to sit in the public viewing galleries has to pass through an airport-style security screening when they arrive.

On Monday, nearly 200 people gathered outside the Prime Minister's Office, seeing protesters demand the federal government do more to end the war, and bring trapped Canadians out of Gaza.