People are surrounded. Some have been beaten and injured. Women for Gaza stand surrounded in front of the Hotel Lotus. Canadian postal workers hold their flags high. Locals on the street pass discreetly while giving thumbs up. In contrast,  the marchers who were able to get out of their hotels and hostels this morning and planned to start a march to break an illegal siege and deliver aid to the people of Gaza have been beaten, terrorized, and denied food, water or bathroom privileges. The demonstrators near the Egyptian museum are confined by rows of serious looking riot police and scores of plainclothes agents who direct everyone away from the scene and confiscate cameras.
 

Statement of Solidarity with the Gaza Freedom March.

What a difference a couple of days can make: on Sunday Egypt announced that the border with Gaza was considered too risky for internationals and that the Gaza Freedom March (over 1350 people from 42 countries) would not be allowed to cross into that tiny, densely-populated strip. On Tuesday, they announced that the border is now safe enough for the Viva Palestina convoy to be allowed in, in part because of the humanitarian nature of the aid they are to deliver to Gaza.

Greetings from London Ontario.  I am one of 11 Londoners who will be joining the Gaza Freedom March in a few short days. Many people have asked me: Why Palestine? Why not starving Africa? Why not our own native apartheid state? I've created many answers in my mind, which usually lead to more questions. Perhaps I came close to the truth once when I heard my voice say "I am called by the energy." I believe that each one of us needs to create change in the world and at night I hear the children's voices in Gaza calling my name.