Violent Assault on Peaceful Protest - Statement from Palestine Action YYT

Palestine Action YYT is aware of a serious violent incident which occurred on Saturday, August 3, 2024, in the course of one of our weekly marches.

Two female marshals (i.e., safety personnel who separate the crowd from traffic) were physically assaulted by a male motorist, who exited his vehicle to carry out the attack. Both victims were injured but are in stable condition. The incident occurred shortly before 3 PM on the east end of Water Street.

A bystander contacted the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, who attended to take witness statements. Witnesses involved in the march are cooperating with the investigation.

At this time, we do not know whether the incident was hate- or politically-motivated.

In the interest of respecting the privacy of the victims and the integrity of the investigative process, we will not be providing any further details at this time.

For the past ten months, marshals have done incredible work to keep our marchers and the public safe, and we will continue to do so in the future. The safety of march participants and marshals remains absolutely critical to our group.

We applaud the courage of our marshals and express our deep gratitude for the compassionate response of those present. We call on our political leaders to join us in condemning this cowardly and wholly unprovoked assault. Our community cannot tolerate violence against women, nor attempts to silence political expression or intimidate those peacefully expressing their views.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to a safer and more just world. We wish the victims a speedy recovery.