About 200 people attended a pro-Palestinian rally in St. John’s Sunday to condemn escalating violence in the Middle East.

The protesters gathered on the steps and grounds of the Colonial Building to decry the bloodshed, as well as what they say are the pro-Israel leanings of the Canadian government and some mainstream media.

The majority of the rally attendees were from the disputed region or have family and friends caught in the crossfire.

It was just one of numerous demonstrations being held across the country this weekend amid the renewed unrest in the Mideast, with pro-Palestinian groups gathering in cities from coast to coast.

Last week, Canadian Jewish groups, including B’nai Brith Canada, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies, and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, posted a joint statement in support of Israel and condemning attacks in the region.

A pro-Israel virtual event was planned for Sunday, while members of British Columbia’s Jewish community were also planning a march.