Vancouver Police probe Oct. 7 rally where ‘death to Canada’ cry went up

By Chuck Chiang, The Canadian Press on October 8, 2024.

Vancouver Police say they are conducting an investigation into a pro-Palestinian protest where they say speakers expressed “solidarity with terrorist groups.”

Police say in a statement they are looking into whether actions at the protest on Monday marking the Oct. 7 anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel represent criminal offences.

The rally at the Vancouver Art Gallery, organized by the group Samidoun, included a speaker who told the crowd “we are Hezbollah and we are Hamas,” and she led cries of “death to Canada, death to the United States and death to Israel.”

Police say they heard from community members and others, who were “deeply offended” by acts at the rally.

Both Hamas and Hezbollah are listed by Public Safety Canada as terrorist entities.

The police statement comes after political leaders in British Columbia and Ottawa condemned actions at the rally, where Canadian flags were also burned.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2024.

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