UPDATE

 

 

 

 

My name is Arub Khan. 

I am 21 years old and live in London Ontario. I was a physics student at Western University. A few days ago I booked a flight to Tel Aviv in efforts to enter the West Bank for humanitarian aid for the Palestinian people. I was denied entry based on US customs. 

I paced around Toronto Pearson Airport for 3.5 hours looking for alternatives and was unable to find anything. No one was able to help me or refund me the 1500 dollar ticket I had bought.

Out of desperation I looked for boats or passage to Quebec or Halifax, yet couldn’t find anything. I had no hotel, no food, no money. 

Out of desperation to fulfill my promise to the people of Palestine, I walked all the way to the Port of Toronto and jumped onto a barbed wire fence and crossed it. I got myself onto a cargo boat, which was pretty easy actually.

I stayed on the boat until what I believe was the Captain who told me I had to leave. I asked him if there's any other boats that I could board, showing him my Canadian passport in hand. He told me to "shut up and get off the boat.” I complied and willing went off the boat. 

I knew now I would be in trouble with law enforcement, and so I decided to jump into the water and swim to the next boat that was beside the docks.

That was the most difficult thing i did in my life..

I prayed vehemently to God to give me the strength, to give me the willpower, to help the people of Gaza.

Even if I could save one child, bring a smile to one little girl, that would be more than enough for me, I would have done my part as a member of humanity.

As I pulled myself out of the water, I began experiencing hypothermia and raced to a man's car begging for any heat. He said

"I cannot help you"

It was then I collapsed onto the ground and started seizing. I saw a bright light and remembering the children of Gaza like Hind Rajab.

it was after I heard the voices of the children of Palestine that I got back up, all on my own.

the firetruck (yes, a firetruck) came about 20 minutes later

I was transported to the hospital. I asked the paramedics if I seemed manic, and they all said no. I have been detained in mental health for over 48 hours. 

They asked me, "Why did you do all of this out of desperation to go to Palestine?"

they asked "were you trying to hurt myself or others?"

healthcare no longer has the capacity to assess individuals without perpetuating ideas of violence onto us.

I did not want to cause harm to myself or others. I want to help humanity, and my only enemies are the enemies of humanity.

I became angry at the patronization and feelings of dehumanization from the health care team. they provided no food, they demanded me with questions while I hadn’t slept the entire night. They decided that I have to take "medication" as I am "badly behaving". you want to know how I "badly behaved" ? I called a white security officer, Caillou. Legally, I am a “mental health patient”, so anything that I am saying should not be taken seriously.

However, it was.

The security officer grabbed me and slammed me to the ground. He continued to contort my arm as he slammed me against the wall. I started screaming from the pain and begging for my mother, for anyone to save me.

They restrained me and tranquilized me and I had not laid a single hand on any of them.

I have now been confiscated from my right of possession of my Canadian citizenship passport. I have asked multiple times for my belongings and they refused.

My one final request is: I beg for the people to release me, I beg for the people to let me enter the west bank, I beg for the entry to Jerusalem.