Police are warning the public that there will be no tolerance for violence or hate crimes ahead of an expected large-scale demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinian community in downtown Toronto. People take part in a protest for Palestine in Montreal, Sunday, October 8, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
TORONTO – Pro-Palestinian demonstrators spilled onto downtown Toronto streets and marched toward the Israeli consulate in Toronto on Thanksgiving Day, following a weekend of deadly fighting in the Middle East.
Protesters gathered at Nathan Phillips Square in front of Toronto city hall on Monday afternoon, many draped in or waving Palestinian flags as the crowd chanted, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,”in a demonstration that was denounced by the city’s mayor.
One sign read, “Occupation is a crime, resistance is a response.”
The gathering came after Hamas militants out of Gaza launched an attack on Israel on Saturday, firing thousands of rockets and sending dozens of fighters to infiltrate the heavily fortified border by air, land and sea.
The attack has been called the deadliest on Israel in years, with the incursion and counteroffensive killing hundreds on both sides and injuring thousands more. In the war’s third day, Israel was still finding bodies and tens of thousands fled their homes in the Gaza Strip as relentless airstrikes levelled buildings.
Global Affairs Canada had said it is aware of reports of one Canadian who has died amid the fighting and two others who are missing.
Sheila Mattar, a 53-year-old Palestinian-Canadian, was hesitant to attend the Toronto demonstration because she feels it’s taboo for Canadians to show support for Palestine.
She often refrains from talking about politics with friends, who don’t even know she is half-Palestinian. Her father grew up in the city of Haifa, but his family was expelled from their house in 1948, and her grandfather was shot dead by the Israelis at his front door nearly two decades later, she said.
“I’ve lived with this my entire life and this is generational trauma, and I can’t be on the sidelines anymore. I have to speak up, the atrocities have to end.”
As Palestinians like Mattar gathered, counter-protesters waved or wore Israeli flags, and police created barricades around them using bikes as they engaged in shouting matches with pro-Palestine protesters, who greatly outnumbered them.
Speakers reiterated that they were there not to spread hate against Jewish people, but to advocate for Palestinian liberation.
Hours before the protest, deputy police chief Lauren Pogue warned the public that there would be no tolerance for violence or hate crimes ahead of the expected large-scale demonstration, as well as another gathering in solidarity with Israel expected later in the evening.
Politicians and police forces in Winnipeg and Vancouver made similar declarations ahead of demonstrations in their cities.
Toronto’s Palestinian event went on despite the opposition of several councillors and the city’s mayor, Olivia Chow.
Chow called the demonstration “deplorable” and “a glorification of “this weekend’s indiscriminate violence, including murder and kidnapping of women and children, by Hamas against Israeli civilians.”
She and Ontario Premier Doug Ford were set to speak at an evening rally in support of Israel being held in north Toronto.
Like Chow, Canada’s prime minister has also had strong words about the attacks. Justin Trudeau spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, where he “unequivocally condemned” Hamas’ attacks and said he is “gravely concerned” about the atrocities that have unfolded.
Trudeau reaffirmed that Canada stands with Israel and fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself, as have politicians across the country and party lines.
Those statements irked Eman Amar, who attended the rally and wants politicians to apologize for supporting Israel. The 21-year-old has seen little help given to Palestinians in the last 75 years.
“Now suddenly they’re mad at Palestinians who are retaliating for their own rights and homes,” said Amar.
“Even though the government of Canada doesn’t stand with them, Canadian people will stand with them.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 9, 2023.
