The City of Edmonton announced that it would light up the High Level Bridge in the colours of the Palestinian flag to “acknowledge the humanitarian crisis” ongoing in Gaza.
The decision has sparked an impassioned debate online and comes after the bridge had previously been lit up in the colours of the Israeli flag to honour the victims of the recent Hamas attack.
“From October 19–20, the High Level Bridge will be lit in red, white, black and green to acknowledge the humanitarian crisis and all people struggling as a result of the violence and conflict in Gaza. #Yeg #LightTheBridge,” posted the City of Edmonton on X.
A number of Edmontonions were upset by this decision, however they could not relay their comments directly to the City of Edmonton’s X account as the post disabled the option to comment.
“2 days for terrorist scum is 3 days too many,” posted Jerry T.
“As a Canadian, I wish to distance myself from the lighting of the High Level Bridge in Palestinian colours by the City of Edmonton. This action does not represent me or many Canadians. As a minimum, you could remain neutral. The cowards turned off replies,” posted Dennis Thomson.
“Any one around old enough to remember how Canadians used to light memorials to German civilian casualties after the Nazis ran amuck in Europe raping & killing civilians with glee? No? Didn’t think so! The ones producing the memorials should be the victims of their own oppressors,” posted K Wayne Sharp.
Other people were happy about the decision to acknowledge the complexity of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
“The fact that a city in Alberta is willing to light up in Palestinian colours *at all* is actually pretty incredible, and a sign the narrative is turning against Israel,” posted Kieran Green.
Gordong Johnson wrote, “The Calgary tower has been lit Israeli blue for the past week. Somebody in Calgary has already decided which side they are on. Will this be the new Battle of Alberta?”
The Hamas attack began on Oct. 7 and has left more than 1,400 Israelis dead and thousands more injured, missing or kidnapped by Hamas.
The Israeli counter attack remains ongoing and so far 2,600 people have died and thousands more wounded as a result of the airstrikes in Gaza.
