The Islamist Mainstreaming of Antisemitism Across Canada

"There's been a long history of concern about Al-Quds Day, which is an annual hateful protest, an event that calls for the elimination and eradication of the State of Israel." 

"That often ends up bringing out folks who are glorifying terrorists and waving Hamas flags and calling for the death of Jews, and I think in a country like Canada, that is morally objectionable."

Toronto city councillor Brad Bradford

 

"Many people who grew up there do not recognize the city anymore."

"They are shocked and disheartened by the hate and threats that's taken over in many aspects of day-to-day life, particularly targeting the Jewish community."

"The rallies are nothing more than hate gatherings."

James Pasternak, Toronto city councillor 

"Sights like these [Hamas-supporting mobs], are no longer uncommon because Canada's Liberal government has refused to stand against even the most vile behaviour happening in plain view."

"Our Canadian values are under attack right before our eyes -- pretending not to see it is simply shameful."

Deputy Conservative party leader Melissa Lantsman

 

"In the past, Al-Quds Day rallies, particularly in Toronto, have crossed the line into promotion of hate, antisemitism and support for designated terrorist organizations."

"I will be asking the Mayor of Montreal and police to ensure that all federal and provincial laws and municipal bylaws are strictly enforced and that police have a clear plan to do this and will immediately step in the second the line into illegality is crossed."

Mount Royal MP Anthony Housefather 

 

Another annual Al-Quds Day across the country is planned for Sunday. Like all such previous events, it is anticipated the rallies will be rife with antisemitic chants that glorify terrorism. Politicians and community leaders, given the number and frequency of similar rallies that have taken place across Canada for the past year and a half following the October 7, 2023, rampage of deadly violence against Israeli civilians in farming communities in southern Israel that killed 1,200 children, women and men, saw organized 'protests' in support not of the victims of the deadly attack, but the Palestinians responsible for the savagery who portray themselves as the victims.

 

Those familiar with the events and who deplore them for their celebration and support of deadly violence are warning civil society and taking measures to ensure that law enforcement be prepared to protect the Jewish Canadian community which has been ceaselessly targeted by antisemitism through organized marches and demonstrations, many of which take place deliberately in Jewish-majority enclaves of Canadian cities. 

 

Typically, the events take place toward the end of the Islamic holiday of Ramadan. They materialized in 1979 following the Iranian Revolution when Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini -- whose Islamist ideology has created Shiite terrorist groups like Hezbollah and the Yemeni Houthis, arming, training and focusing them on the destruction of Israel -- adopted the idea of the "liberation" of Jerusalem [Al-Quds in Arabic]. The demonstrations that take place globally call for "Death to Israel", "Death to America", while effigies and flags are burned. 

"Al-Quds Day is not just another protest or demonstration."

"It is a state-sponsored, anti-Israel event, orchestrated annually by the Iranian regime to support the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps [IRGC] -- a Canadian-listed terrorist organization -- in its efforts to destabilize the Middle East and spread hatred against Israel, Jews, and Western democratic values around the world."

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs

Large rallies for the Al-Quds Day marches have been planned across Canada, in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver and Montreal. Astonishingly, in the past decade, immigration, refugee intake and illegal migration has given Canada large populations of Muslims from the Middle East and North Africa. The Palestinian Youth Movement is featured in posters for the Toronto and Montreal rallies, a group that supports the October 7 terror attacks. Samidoun, a group designated as a terror entity by the federal government is still permitted to organize events such as these in Canada without demur from the Federal Liberal government.

 

Toronto city councillors James Pasternak and Brad Bradford have demanded that the city and Toronto police enforce the Hate Rallies policy to protect the Jewish community and ensure 'every necessary precaution is taken'. There is frustration with the mainstreaming of antisemitism across the Greater Toronto Area since the invasion by Hamas of Israel on October 7, 2023. 

An Al-Quds Day rally in Toronto, 2014. Photo by YouTube/Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center

 

"As with all demonstrations and large gatherings, police will be there to ensure public safety."

"In addition to a visible frontline officer presence, we will also have officers from our specialized Hate Crime Unit on the ground, to immediately gather evidence and investigate any suspected hate crimes, or hate speech, or signage."

Toronto Police Service spokeswoman Stephanie Sayer