Five people were arrested during a pro-Palestinian protest that blocked a railway in Toronto

Five people were arrested Tuesday during a pro-Palestinian protest that blocked a rail line in Toronto's west side, police said.

The protest took place near Pelham Avenue and Osler Street, near Dupont Street and West Dundas Street, on railroad tracks owned by CPKC, a combination of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern Railroads.

World Beyond War, a self-proclaimed “global nonviolent movement” against the war, said in a press release Tuesday that protesters are calling on the Canadian government to impose an arms embargo on Israel as the Israel-Hamas war continues.

According to the group, the plan was to stop shipping from Canada to the US in solidarity with the starving Palestinians in Gaza.

CPKC did not respond to a request for comment.

Dalia Awwad, a spokeswoman for the Palestinian Youth Movement, an advocacy group, said in a statement that the demonstrators were calling on the federal government to act.

“For months, we've written letters, phoned and petitioned MPs as we've received more and more calls from our families and friends in Gaza. We've held classes, community meetings and town halls,” Awwad said.

“We've flown, marched, picketed and held rallies in every government office you can name. Yet the Canadian government has refused to act decisively to save Palestinian lives and impose a full arms embargo on Israel,” added Awwad. “That's why we have no choice but to step up and stop weapons being sent to Israel and to Israel ourselves.”

Most Liberal MPs, including cabinet ministers, joined the NDP last month in backing a motion to end new export permits for weapons to Israel. The proposal was heavily modified by the Liberals before the vote.

Confusion over what the move actually does has grown in the days since — some groups say it was an arms embargo, while others say it boosted business as usual.

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Israel condemned the proposal.

There is no word on the charges against the five people who were arrested.

World Beyond War, a self-proclaimed “global nonviolent movement” against the war, said in a press release Tuesday that protesters are calling on the Canadian government to impose an arms embargo on Israel as the Israel-Hamas war continues. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)

Toronto police confronted protesters at the rally near Pelham Avenue and Osler Street. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)

Demonstrators carry the Palestinian flag during the several-hour-long demonstration. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)