A few thousand pro-peace and pro-Palestinian protesters gathered again outside the Israeli consulate on Toronto's Bloor Street, and other locations across the country, to protest Israel's military crackdown in the Gaza Strip.
"The plan is to keep having demonstrations until Israel stops bombarding Gaza and killing women and children like we've seen on TV," Nabil Nassar, one of the security marshals, told CTV News on Saturday.
He said the organizers tried to keep things as peaceful as possible, "but you know, you can control crowds but you can't control emotions."
Many protestors carried graphic signs depicting some of the youngest victims in Gaza and a small group of protesters burned Israel's Star of David flag.
Chants included "Occupation is a crime/Israel out of Palestine."
CUPE Ontario president Sid Ryan, who had to apologize this week for comparing an attack on a Hamas-linked university to book burnings in Nazi Germany, didn't sound apologetic after speaking to the crowd. He talked about the "lies coming out of the Israeli media."
"I know I'm on the right side on this issue. You can never be wrong when you're trying to stand up for the rights of men, women and children who are being slaughtered," he said.
Other speakers called on the federal government to demand a ceasefire from Israel and to impose immediate sanctions and boycotts.
"John Baird was quoted as saying the resisters in Palestine are cowards," said Ali Mallah of the Canadian Arab Federation.
"Well I have news for you John Baird and Stephen Harper, the only coward we know is Stephen Harper and his government."
Police kept a small group of pro-Israeli demonstrators, estimated to be 10 to 15 in number, off to the side.
Police maintained a barricade line to keep demonstrators away from the consulate, located in downtown Toronto. They made no arrests and described the crowd as well-behaved.
Other events across Canada
Around 1,500 protestors gathered on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
"You have sadly moved Canada away from our tradition of being in the forefront of defenders of international law and human rights," said Samah Sabawi, reading from an open letter to the prime minister.
About 1,000 braved the bitter cold in Montreal to march through the city in protest, holding signs reading "Save Gaza, stop the massacre."
Other protests took place in Calgary, Halifax, Fredericton and Victoria.
Some Jews speaking out against Israel
Adam Balsam of Not In Our Name: Jewish Voices Opposing Zionism told CTV Newsnet on Saturday that more and more Jews are lending their voices to speaking out against occupation.
"As Jews who oppose the occupation, we don't support this treatment of an oppressed people," he said.
On Wednesday, police arrested eight Jewish women protesters in Toronto who occupied the Israeli consulate in a peaceful protest over Gaza.
However, thousands in Toronto's Jewish community held a rally on Thursday to defend Israel's right to protect itself against Hamas rocket attacks.
On Saturday, some of the pro-Israeli protesters were incredulous that Jews would be speaking out against Israel's actions and what they call distortions of the truth.
"It's unfair to think that Israel doesn't have the right to defend themselves, and these people (pro-Palestinian demonstrators) promote all the terrible things that happen to civilians, but they won't recognize the fact that they're supporting a terrorist organization," said David Goodman.
Israel's aerial bombardment of Gaza began on Dec. 27 and recently escalated to include an incursion by ground troops into the Palestinian-controlled territory. It launched the offensive in response to Hamas rocket attacks against Israeli communities.
On Saturday, Israel dropped leaflets in the Gaza Strip warning residents that it planned to begin a "new phase in the war on terror."
The United Nations Security Council passed a resolution on Thursday calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Israel rejected the resolution as "impractical."
As it currently stands, more than 800 Palestinians have died. Some estimates suggest about half those may be non-combatants.
Thirteen Israelis have died so far -- nine in combat and four to Hamas rockets.
Since Wednesday, Israel has halted military operations for three-hour periods, but international aid agencies say they need longer periods of calm in order to properly deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza's 1.4 million people.
Delivery has been halted by security problems. The UN blamed Israeli fire for killing one of its truck drivers, but the Israeli military has denied responsibility.
With a report from CTV Toronto's Chris Eby and files from The Canadian Press
