Surrey city council chambers was cleared Monday night following a disruption by angry protesters calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
鈥淚 was shocked, to be honest, that they were so angry,鈥� Locke said in the aftermath. 鈥淪ome of the stuff they were yelling at us, calling us murderers鈥�
鈥淭hey wanted the call for a ceasefire,鈥� Locke said, 鈥渁nd I called for peace, because peace to me is much larger than a ceasefire. I was personally taken aback that they got so cross.鈥�
At the outset of the meeting, Locke said the City of Surrey condemns all acts of racism, including anti-semitism, anti-Palestinian racism and Islamophobia. 鈥淭he City of Surrey recognizes the humanitarian crisis unfolding around the world, including in Israel and in Gaza, and call for peace in order to protect all human lives, especially those of children,鈥� she told the chamber.
The outburst happened after she made her statement.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 understand what they didn鈥檛 like,鈥� Locke told the Now-Leader. Clearing the council chambers, she said, 鈥渨as truly something I never thought I was going to have to do. You know, we have the business of the city to run, this is the people鈥檚 鈥� all people鈥檚 鈥� place to be and it made it uncomfortable for a lot of people. A lot of people that were there for business left because it was upsetting to them.鈥�
Only people speaking to items on the public hearing agenda were allowed in chambers, after council returned from a brief recess. In the lobby outside chambers, a woman shouting about genocide yelled, 鈥淐hildren, every ten minutes a child dies. You live with that, you live with that mayor, you live with that.鈥�
One man addressed council during the public hearing.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 until I stood up for Palestine where I have been threatened at my workplace, where individuals from around the world have been emailing the Surrey Teachers Association asking me to get fired,鈥� he told council. 鈥淚鈥檓 not here on behalf of myself, I am here on behalf of the many teachers that I have been talking to who feel constricted in their workplaces.
鈥淎s an individual who has been fighting for human rights, I only ask for simple words, simple words such as a ceasefire that I know most of you believe in,鈥� he said.
Later in the meeting, Councillors Harry Bains and Linda Annis lauded Locke鈥檚 comments.
鈥淚 want to begin by thanking you for your statement earlier where you condemned all acts of racism in our community,鈥� Bains. 鈥淚 heard the individuals who spoke here today and I understand their emotions. Children are dying, and I can鈥檛 imagine a world where that would be okay. I recognize the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza and the West Bank and I call for an immediate cease fire by all sides in order to protect all human life, including all of those children.鈥�
Annis echoed that. 鈥淚 just wanted to thank you for your opening comments this evening around the horrific war that is taking place in the Middle East, and also to thank Councillor Bains as well, it was very difficult, and I think we all agree that a ceasefire is needed both for Israel and the folks living in the Gaza, it鈥檚 horrific what鈥檚 happening there and I just want to thank both of you for speaking up.鈥�
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