Past Event September 9th - 2025
KEVIN NEISH TO APPEAR IN CUMBERLAND
Since 2008, international human rights activists have attempted to break the naval blockade of Gaza imposed by Israel by sailing ships to Gaza’s port with humanitarian aid, including food, medicine, and personal care items. In 2010, Victoria resident Kevin Neish, an experienced ship mechanic, sailed upon the Mavi Marmara with 600 plus passengers, when Israeli commandos raided the boat in international waters. The assault killed ten activists and injured dozens, leading to global outrage.
Comox Valley Fundraising Community and Weird Church invite the public to a presentation on Tuesday, September 9 at 7 PM to listen and learn about Neish’s decades-long activism, his experiences onboard multiple Freedom Flotillas, being detained by the Israeli military, witnessing murder, and more. To provide access to a wider audience, the presentation available to watch by donation at kevinneish.eventbrite.ca
Neish’s visit to Cumberland comes at a pivotal moment with over 50+ boats setting sail, beginning August 31st, to break the ongoing siege on Gaza.
Neish, while on board the Mavi Marmara, photographed the Israeli attack, and – despite being arrested, strip searched, and detained in Be’er Sheva prison – managed to hide a memory chip containing dozens of photos of the attack and smuggled it out of Israel. Neish has prepared a slideshow of these photos and will be sharing them in his presentation (please note that these photos do contain graphic content). More recently, he spent two months in Sicily helping to prepare both the Handala and the Madleen to set sail. The Madleen was named after a woman in Gaza that Neish met in 2013 when he volunteered as a human shield to protect Palestinian farmers and fishers. He continues to help raise money for her, so she can help multiple families obtain food, money and aid in Gaza.
With the remaining population (estimated at 1.9 million) in Gaza at risk of famine due to food and aid being withheld by Israel from entering, the Freedom Flotillas are needed now more than ever.Â
The presentation will take place at 2688 Penrith Avenue in Cumberland. Admission is by donation, with 100% of profits being donated to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a grassroots people-to-people solidarity movement composed of campaigns and initiatives from different parts of the world, working together to end the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza that has been happening for over 17 years. (https://freedomflotilla.org).
Weird Church is a social-justice oriented, queer-inclusive, incarnational, contemplative, irreverent, radically inclusive community seeking to follow the Spirit in a way that allows for personal and social transformation. (https://www.weirdchurchcumberland.com)
Comox Valley Fundraising Community is a local grassroots organization, focused on getting direct aid for those in need, locally and worldwide with a focus on direct humanitarian aid to Palestinians. CVFC is committed to working on dismantling colonial systems, fighting for the end of oppression for all people, and advocating for the Land Back movement across the globe.
For those who can not attend but still want to donate, please reach out!
You can read more about the families we support on our Learn page.