Surrey city council chambers was cleared Monday night following a disruption by angry protesters calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

含羞草研究社淚 was shocked, to be honest, that they were so angry,含羞草研究社� Locke said in the aftermath. 含羞草研究社淪ome of the stuff they were yelling at us, calling us murderers含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淭hey wanted the call for a ceasefire,含羞草研究社� Locke said, 含羞草研究社渁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.含羞草研究社�

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. 含羞草研究社淭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,含羞草研究社� she told the chamber.

The outburst happened after she made her statement.

含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 understand what they didn含羞草研究社檛 like,含羞草研究社� Locke told the Now-Leader. Clearing the council chambers, she said, 含羞草研究社渨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含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社� all people含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社� 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.含羞草研究社�

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, 含羞草研究社淐hildren, every ten minutes a child dies. You live with that, you live with that mayor, you live with that.含羞草研究社�

One man addressed council during the public hearing.

含羞草研究社淚t wasn含羞草研究社檛 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,含羞草研究社� he told council. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 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.

含羞草研究社淎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,含羞草研究社� he said.

Later in the meeting, Councillors Harry Bains and Linda Annis lauded Locke含羞草研究社檚 comments.

含羞草研究社淚 want to begin by thanking you for your statement earlier where you condemned all acts of racism in our community,含羞草研究社� Bains. 含羞草研究社淚 heard the individuals who spoke here today and I understand their emotions. Children are dying, and I can含羞草研究社檛 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.含羞草研究社�

Annis echoed that. 含羞草研究社淚 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含羞草研究社檚 horrific what含羞草研究社檚 happening there and I just want to thank both of you for speaking up.含羞草研究社�

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