Children of Holocaust survivors, activists ‘horrified’ by swastika flag flown at Ottawa protest

Public outrage and condemnations continue to pour in after offensive symbolism was seen at the trucker convoy protests in Ottawa over the weekend.

Photos circulating on social media taken at the rally in the nation’s capital showed members holding the Confederate flag, a swastika flag or a yellow Star of David at different times throughout the protests.

Bernie Farber with the Canadian Anti-Hate Network says symbols like the yellow Star of David – which Nazis forced Jews to wear during the Holocaust so they could easily be identified – are triggering for many.

“I don’t accept their right to protest under a Nazi flag,” said Farber, the child of a Holocaust survivor. “I don’t accept their right to protest taking flags of Canada and scrawling swastikas all over it. I don’t agree the protest ought to have racist symbols like the Confederate flag.

“I’m horrified by it. I don’t know how much more disgusting you can get to try and compare the murder of six million Jewish men, and women, and children – 1.5 million children – thrown into gas chambers, medically experimented upon, and say that somehow that’s the same thing as the government wanting to give you a life-saving vaccine.”

Stop messaging me that this was a loving, peaceful protest.

There is absolutely no scenario with NAZI flags present that would be on the right side of history.

Ever. pic.twitter.com/Uf4VCOgKEm

— Nahanni Fontaine (@NahanniFontaine) January 30, 2022

Belle Jarniewski at the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada says it’s insulting to Holocaust survivors like her parents.

“It’s a mockery of the experiences of those Holocaust survivors that are still with us,” said Jarniewski. “And it, of course, diminishes the memory of all of the victims, of the six million victims, as well as the other victims of the Nazis.”

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READ MORE:

• Remaining protesters vow to stay in Ottawa until all COVID restrictions are lifted
• Vancouver Jewish Federation denounces Nazi symbols at Ottawa protest
• Convoy protester shoved, heckled Ottawa resident at neighbourhood park
• Doug Ford tells truckers convoy to go home: ‘I support vaccinations’
• ‘An insult to memory and truth:’ Trudeau condemns ‘hateful rhetoric’ at Parliament protests
• Who went to Ottawa, why are they still there and what happens now?

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While human rights advocates agree the right to peaceful protest is important, they say the weekend saw some of the worst elements of our society come out.

“People have a right to assemble, to share their views,” said Isha Khan, the CEO of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. “But when it crosses to using those peaceful protests or those opportunities to spread hate and to harm others, where are we? We’re no further ahead and we need to get control of those situations and make sure that we call them for what they are.”

“People don’t just turn racist in a day”

Activist Birgit Umaigba says she is not surprised by the extremist displays and offensive symbolism seen at the ongoing protest in the nation’s capital.

“People don’t just turn racist in a day,” said Umaigba. “Just going to the rally doesn’t make you automatically racist. It’s all the conversations people have in their homes, in those hidden places, in those white spaces, that have actually contributed to those behaviours we’re seeing right now.”

Umaigba says she received more hateful messages online during the convoy, like someone telling her to go back to Africa. She says white allies need to speak up against hate and get involved with grassroots organizations.

“Having one Black friend doesn’t make you non-racist,” she said. “Like what’s stopping you from having more than one Black friend? Like, ask yourself these questions. Because when you start to engage with people in these spaces, you start to understand our world.”

Registered clinical counsellor Karina Rampal says if people of colour need to seek help because they were troubled by the images at the protests, it’s OK for them to ask for a counsellor who looks like them or can relate to their experiences.

“First step is finding a person or a place where you feel comfortable, and you feel heard, and I think that’s the most important of being a POC or any kind of group – you feel like you’re being heard,” said Rampal.

Umaigba says the protests and offensive images displayed won’t stop her from celebrating her heritage this February during Black History Month.

“I’m actually choosing to take one day at a time like I’ve always done,” she said. “And to give myself grace. To let myself know I’m enough every day, and to extend that to the people around me.”