TORONTO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th January, 2020) Hundreds of Iranian-Canadians and sympathetic Torontonians attended vigils across Toronto to mourn the lives lost in the Ukrainian International Airlines air disaster.
Mourners bearing photos of deceased loved ones, candles and treasured memories descended upon the North York neighborhood of Toronto, which is home to a large number of Canadians of Iranian ancestry to not only mourn but to vent in the wake of the tragedy that claimed the lives of 63 Canadian nationals and many Iranian citizens permanently residing in Canada.
Inside the North York Civic Centre, the Iranian Canadian Congress (ICC) held a vigil, attended by local councilors, where mourners spoke to the pain that the tragedy has left them with.
The organizers, including ICC Chair of the PR Committee, Mohsen Khaniki, read aloud the Names of all the victims as the family members and loved ones paid tribute to the deceased by talking about the impact they had made on their lives.
Canadian Member of Parliament for the riding of Richmond Hill, Majid Jowhari said that the community and Canada as a whole have lost many scientists, doctors, researchers, and other esteemed professionals, indicative of how well the Iranian-Canadians have integrated into society.
A friend of Zeynab Asadi Lari, a University of Toronto student who died in the crash, remembered her as a tireless advocate for mental health issues.
The organizers said that it was too early to speculate on the cause of the crash, and asked that the tragedy would not be further politicized.
Outside in Mel Lastman Square hundreds of Iranian-Canadians and sympathizers braved the freezing temperatures to also mourn the lives lost, in a vigil organized in part by Salman Sima, a Toronto-based anti-Iranian government activist, who, along with a few other members brandished the flag of the Imperial State of Iran.
As is often the case following such catastrophes, attendees expressed a range of emotions from deep sorrow to anger at how such a tragedy was allowed to happen.
Outside a lot of the acrimony was directed at the Iranian government, who many saw as at least somewhat complicit in the death of many community members. Several anti-Iranian-government chants broke out in both English and Farsi.
However, many struck a conciliatory tone, saying that politicians - collectively - have let them down by playing political games with people's lives and that they only wish for peace.
One gentleman said that while things aren't perfect in Iran and that he does not support the current government, the saber-rattling from the United States only exacerbates the plight of ordinary Iranians.
Others, including a family member of Parisa Eghbalian, a Toronto area dentist deceased in the plane crash, barely holding back tears said that she was grateful to be living in Canada and ominously said that the Iranian response to the US airstrike that killed Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani backfired horribly.
A few individuals were critical of the sanctions that leave few options for travelers forcing them to choose between price and safety, in their travel arrangements.
Despite the still very raw emotions, the rally proceeded largely peacefully, except for one incident outside of the North York Civic Centre, where a group shouting anti-Iranian-government slogans from the other rally caused a brief disturbance at the vigil organized by the Iranian Canadian Congress.
All of the public vigils drew a large number of attendees. The North York Civic Centre was packed to capacity, with standing room only available. Outside, a Toronto Police officer estimated that 500-600 people were present in the square at the moment, but that estimate did not factor into account the many that briskly paid their respects to the fallen and left.
According to local news channel CP24, a third vigil was held at the Islamic Iranian Centre of Imam Ali, to honor all the victims, including the 15 who prayed at the mosque regularly.
The rally comes on the heels of an announcement by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in which he said that Canada possesses intelligence - provided by the United States and other allies and its own - that indicates with high probability that the ill-fated Ukrainian International Airlines flight 725 was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile.
Iran, however, said in the preliminary report that the plane crash was the result of a technical malfunction, categorically dismisses Canadian assertions to the contrary, and has called on Ottawa to provide any information available to it.
On Wednesday morning, UIA 752 crashed outside Tehran shortly after takeoff, killing all 176 people on-board. Sixty-three of them were Canadian nationals, and many more were Iranian citizens permanently residing in Canada.
