Wayne Long, the Liberal MP for Saint John-Rothesay, has issued a statement on social media saying he regrets "hurtful and inappropriate" remarks against Palestine solidarity activists.
But activists from the Palestine Solidarity Committee of Saint John rejected what they called a "performative apology."
The incident occurred on Dec. 13 outside Trinity Galleries in uptown Saint John, where a Liberal Party holiday celebration was disrupted by a group of protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Video clips that have circulated widely on social media show the politician and a member of his staff in the midst of a heated dispute with protesters.
Earlier posts on Wayne Long's official Facebook page, along with statements from community groups, identify the staff member as Jeannette Arsenault.
In the footage, Long and Arsenault tell the protesters "shame on you." At one point, Arsenault exclaims "terrorists" before telling protesters: "You guys believe in terrorism."
In a separate short clip, she appears to tell someone, "if you don't like Canada, leave."
At one point, Long and Arsenault are met with cries of "shame on you, racists, colonialists" and chants accusing the MP of supporting genocide.
In December, the UN special rapporteur on occupied Palestine warned of a “serious risk of genocide” in Gaza.
By the time of the incident in Saint John, the death toll in Gaza had surpassed 18,000, including at least 7,729 children, while Israel’s death toll stood at 1,147 civilians, according to Al Jazeera.
Full story on nbmediacoop.org
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