Anti-Israel Protests Entitled To Law-Breaking

"The community has been tolerating these hateful protests day after day, where protesters have signs with swastikas, with Hitler."

"[The coffee video is considered by many in the Jewish community as the last straw with police allowing these rallies to continue]."

"We're grateful to live in a free society where people can express their views and demonstrate, even if their views are  ugly -- but there is a limit."

"When a community is no longer able to access infrastructure because a hate group is targeting them, we've hit that limit." 

"We can put [the coffee delivery] aside, but now we need to focus on solutions."

Jaime Kizne-Roberts, vice-president, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs

A screen grab from the video shows a Toronto police officer and a protester who then refers to the police as "our little messengers." Photo by X

"Our commitment to keeping our city's Jewish community safe is unwavering."

"We are doing everything we can in the locations that have been targeted for demonstration to uphold and enforce the law."

Toronto Police chief Myron Demkiw

 

"This shows the importance of supervision on the scene, making sure there's a consistency of enforcement across everybody."

"I don't think for one minute, as some have suggested, that this is the police showing sympathy for one side or another -- but this young copper on Saturday, I'm sure thought they were doing the right thing."

"My fear is that if this is allowed to continue, somebody is going to get hurt."

Retired Toronto police detective Mark Mendelson

Mayor Chow momentarily addressed the group of protesters reminding them of the call she made for a ceasefire and the return of hostages on Nov 10. (Courtesy: Mayor Olivia Chow, X, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, X)

 

The video of Toronto police officers delivering coffee to anti-Israel protesters who were illegally  occupying a major North Toronto thoroughfare has served to  intensify residents' aggrievement over the very threats and intimidation levelled at the Jewish community in ongoing protests by pro-Hamas supporters that the police decry and maintain they are doing their best to make certain no escalation occurs. When, in fact, the protesters are indeed breaking municipal laws, yet are not being held to account for their acts of entitled defiance. 

The online video that showed Toronto officers in the act of delivering a cardboard urn of Tim Hortons coffee to the protesters occupying the Avenue Road bridge over Highway 401 has enraged community members of Canada's densest Jewish neighbourhood in Canada's largest, most populous city. The ongoing bridge occupation led to the police closing down access to the bridge, and nearby residents are forced to take time-consuming detours to reach their homes in the Jewish community. If these ongoing 'protests' don't qualify for intimidation and threat, what then are they?

Demonstrators storm malls, obstructed holiday shopping, staged disruptions of New Year's Eve fireworks events and public skating in traditional seasonal events. Using loudhorns to amplify their messages, carrying signage accusing Israel of 'genocide' and shouting "From the river to the sea" with its message of obliterating the Jewish state, these loud, disruptive, obnoxious and threatening events where participants harass counter-demonstrators have turned Canadian cities into a microcosm of the Middle East.

Liberal Member of Parliament Marco Mendicino, minister of public safety who oversaw the breakup of the 2022 Freedom Trucking Convoy blockading central downtown Ottawa in close proximity to the Parliament Buildings recently stated: "Laws exist to prevent this [the 401 overpass blockade]. They need to be enforced!" His bemusement was echoed by Liberal MP Anthony Housefather who stated: "This appears to me to be a refusal by the City of Toronto police to enforce existing laws".

And the laws are clear enough:

• Blocking Roadways: Under federal, provincial and municipal laws it is illegal for anyone to obstruct public roadways; blocking or obstructing a highway is explicitly barred in the Criminal Code as an example of 'intimidation'. The Ontario Highway Traffic Act has measures to enforce the 'orderly movement' of traffic.
  
• Trespassing: "Lawful demonstrations do not include protesting inside privately owned spaces, which includes malls", the Toronto Police Services warned in the face of co-ordinated "cancel Christmas" demonstrations used by anti-Israel groups to stage protests in malls and shopping areas.
• Uttering Threats: The Criminal Code definition of 'uttering threats' applies to anyone who 'knowingly' transmits a threat either of bodily harm or of damage to private property.
• Inciting Hate: Free speech is restricted in Canada when it veers into 'incitement of hate'. The Criminal Code prescribes up to two years in prison for anyone who incites hatred against any "identifiable group".

The day following the airing of the coffee disbursement by police to the hate-on-Jews protesters, another anti-Israel protest burst into an annual New-Year's ice-skating party hosted by Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow at Nathan Phillips Square (honouring the first Jewish mayor of Toronto) in front of City Hall. Protesters, many masked with face-covering keffiyehs, interrupted the mayor's speech, harassed skaters, used megaphones shouting pro-Palestinian slogans, and shut down the fete.

Jewish-owned businesses have been targeted by protests both through intimidation rallies and criminal vandalism. Toronto City councillors Mike Colle and James Pasternak called on the federal government to investigate a fire set on a Jewish-owned grocery store, its windows smashed, and "Free Palestine" spray-painted across a doorway.

Toronto firefighters at the scene of a fire at North York business early Wednesday. (CBC)

 

"Our officers are managing a dynamic situation. Their top priority is maintaining order in a tense environment on the Avenue Road bridge."

"In performing a helpful act ... our officer's motivation was to help keep tensions low and should not be interpreted as showing support for any cause or group."

"Our officers continue to work to de-escalate these demonstrations and maintain calm and the public's safety."

Toronto Police Constable Shannon Eames

"Our officers are well-trained to monitor these events and to limit possible disruptions to our city, its businesses and its residents."

"We respect people's Charter rights -- in saying that lawful demonstrations --- certainly does not include intimidation, harassment, or hateful behaviour."

Deputy Chief Lauren Pogue