Al-Quds Day rally in Toronto took place on June 1, 2019. The speakers at the event were Suzanne Weiss, Ken Stone, Zafar Bangash, Ali Mallah, Nasim Askari, Robert Massoud, Dmitri Lascaris, Ted Schmidt, Leary Charles, Yves Engler and Stephen Ellis who read a statement written by Rabbi Stern from Neturei Karta. Hussein Mojtahedy led the slogans between speakers.
During the rally, the song “Long Live Palestine” by British Iraqi rapper Kareem Dennis “Lowkey” was broadcast over the PA system provided by the organizers.
Here are the lyrics of the song:
[Intro: Lowkey]
This is for Palestine, Ramallah, West Bank, Gaza
This is for the child that is searching for the answer
I wish I could take your tears and replace them with laughter
Long live Palestine, long live Gaza
Palestine, Ramallah, West Bank, Gaza
This is for the child that is searching for an answer
I wish I could take your tears and replace them with laughter
Long live Palestine, long live Gaza
[Verse 1: Lowkey]
While we listen to tunes, made by ignorant fools
Israel blocked the UN from delivering food
They’ll bring in the troops and you won’t even glimpse at the news
They make money off the products that we are quick to consume
It’s not simply a question of differing views
Forget emotions, this is fact, what I spit is the truth
Makes no difference if you’re a Christian or if you’re a Jew
They are just people living in different conditions to you
They still die when you bomb their schools, mosques and hospitals
It is not because of rockets, please god can you stop it all
I’m not related to the strangers on the TV
But I relate because those strangers could have been me
Words can never ever explain the raw tragedy
It’s not a war they’re just murdering more rapidly
We are automatically supporting pure savagery
Imagine how you’d feel if this was your family
[Hook A]
Free my people, long live Palestine
We will never let you go
[Hook B: Lowkey]
Free Free Palestine, Free Free Palestine
Free Free Palestine, Free Free Palestine
Free Free Palestine, Free Free Palestine
Free Free Palestine, Free Free Palestine
[Verse 2: Lowkey]
Palestine remains in my heart forever
We stand for peace, in times of war we shan’t surrender
Remember, it didn’t start in that dark December
Every coin is a bullet, if you’re Mark’s and Spencer
And when you’re sipping Coca-Cola
That’s another pistol in the holster of the soulless soldiers
You say you know about the Zionist lobby
But you put money in their pocket when you’re buying their coffee
Talking about revolution, sitting in Starbucks
The fact is that’s the type of thinking I can’t trust
Let alone even start to respect
Before you talk learn the meaning of that scarf on your neck
Forget Nestlé
Obama promised Israel 30 billion over the next decade
They’re trigger happy and they’re crazy
Think about that when you’re putting Huggies nappies on your baby
[Hook A]
Free my people, long live Palestine
We will never let you go
[Hook B: Lowkey]
Free Free Palestine, Free Free Palestine
Free Free Palestine, Free Free Palestine
Free Free Palestine, Free Free Palestine
Free Free Palestine, Free Free Palestine
[Verse 3: Lowkey]
This is not just a war over stolen land
Why do you think little boys are throwing stones at tanks?
We will never really know how many people are dead
They drop bombs on innocent girls while they sleep in their beds
Don’t get offended by facts, just try and listen
Nothing is more anti-Semitic than Zionism
So please don’t bring bad vibes when you speak to me
I know there’s plenty of Rabbi’s that agree with me
It’s your choice what you do with this message
Don’t get it confused; I view this from a truly human perspective
How many more resolutions have to be violated
How many more children have to be annihilated
Israel is a terror state, they’re terrorists that terrorise
I testify, my television televised them telling lies
This is not a war, it is systematic genocide
But whatever they try, Palestine will never die
[Hook A]
Free my people, long live Palestine
We will never let you go
[Hook B: Lowkey]
Free Free Palestine, Free Free Palestine
Free Free Palestine, Free Free Palestine
Free Free Palestine, Free Free Palestine
Free Free Palestine, Free Free Palestine
[Outro: Lowkey]
This is for Palestine, Ramallah, West Bank, Gaza
This is for the child that is searching for the answer
I wish I could take your tears and replace them with laughter
Long live Palestine, long live Gaza
Palestine, Ramallah, West Bank, Gaza
This is for the child that is searching for an answer
I wish I could take your tears and replace them with laughter
Long live Palestine, long live Gaza