Demonstrations took place across Canada Saturday to denounce Israel's blockade of Gaza.

In Montreal, about 500 people gathered to protest the deaths of nine people killed when Israeli forces boarded a ship on Monday that was planning to force its way through the naval blockade.

They marched from Place du Canada to the Old Port, where they met a ship dubbed the Rachel Corrie 2.

The ship brought supplies to a symbolic 'refugee camp' set up in the Old Port.

Calling for end to blockade of Gaza

Organizers are calling for Canada to denounce Israel's blockade.

"Canada can make a swift move here, at least with Harper to kind of say, Israel, you can't do this anymore and we don't support you," said Brandon MacIsaac.

So far the federal government has supported a call for a United Nations inquiry into the raid that ended in nine deaths.

Claire Hurtig, who calls herself a Palestine solidarity activist, wants the government to do much more.

"I'm here to stand in solidarity with the flotilla and the 1.5 million Gazans who have been held in basically an open-air prison for the past three or four years," said Hurtig.

The rally, organized by a group called the Expanded coalition for peace and justice in Palestine, had the support of the CSN, CSQ, and the Quebec Federation of Labour.

Anti-semitism on display

Shico Tamam, an Israeli-Canadian who took part in the march, was among those who were not comfortable with the anti-semitism demonstrated by some protesters wearing swatikas.

"I just wish that wasn't there because it's really offensive, not just to Jews but to everyone around the world," said Tamam.

The Gaza strip has been subject to an Israeli blockade since 2007, when Palestinians elected Hamas to run their government.

Israel says the blockade is necessary because Hamas is stockpiling weapons, and has vowed to destroy Israel.

Beryl Wajsman, of the Institute for Public Affairs of Montreal, wants to remind protesters that Hamas is considered a terrorist group.

"What democracy can survive if it leaves itself open to attack and counterattack to groups that have been called terrorists by our own government?" Wajsman said.

Israeli forces boarded ships on Monday

Six ships were part of the flotilla headed to Gaza, intending to bring in 10,000 tons of aid and some 700 activists -- the majority of whom were riding on a Turkish-flagged ship called the Mavi Marmara.

The ships were ordered to stop their journey into Gaza -- which is under an Israeli blockade -- before they were raided by Israeli forces. They were in international waters, about 130 kilometres from the Gaza coast, when the raid began in the early hours of Monday morning.

Israeli commandos rappelled from helicopters down onto the top of the Mavi Marmara, where the violence occurred, said Israeli military chief Gabi Ashkenazi.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, Israeli commandos boarded a ship delivering aid to Gaza without incident.

The Israeli military said its members boarded the 1,200-ton Rachel Corrie cargo ship by boat, instead of rappelling onto it from helicopters.