"Where Are The Judges Who Make These Decisions?"

"Just recently, once again, charges were withdrawn by provincial Crown Attorneys against nine protesters arrested at the beginning of October."

"Time and again [Crown attorneys have informed my officers that the actions at Bathurst and Sheppard do not] meet the legal threshold for criminal charges."

"As we have said many times, when officers have the lawful grounds to do so, arrests will be made and charges laid -- anywhere in the city, whether involving protesters or counter-protesters."

Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw 

 

"When such incidents [as demonstrators staging a blockade of Christmas shoppers at Toronto's Eaton Centre, using megaphones to shout 'Intifada right now!'] occur repeatedly and without visible consequences, it substantially undermines public confidence in the rule of law and in the institutions responsible for upholding it."

Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner

 

"Where are the judges who make these decisions?"

"Our members are held accountable for the decisions they make and the actions they take."

"Why isn't anyone else?"

Toronto Police Association

 

"What we expect from the Crown -- what you and the public should expect -- is that the Crown is a zealous advocate for justice."

"Unfortunately, so far, we have not seen that in this case."

Megan Hankewich, Edmonton Police executive director of legal services

Pro-Palestine protesters took to Toronto's Eaton Centre to demonstrate on Boxing Day. Friday, Dec. 27 (Courtesy: Instagram/@pymtoronto)

 

A weak justice system is being held responsible by Canadian police for rising public disorder, as instance after instance of police attempting to uphold the law find themselves constrained by the rejecting reaction of Crown attorneys. If it were not for Crown prosecutors not having their back, Toronto police claim they would set about reigning in constant anti-Israel demonstrations.

 

Toronto Police chief Myron Demkiw complained that his department had been forced to expend over $42 million in policing over 800 anti-Israel demonstrations and blockades since the terrorist attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023 led by Hamas, outlining his position in a letter to the Province of Ontario. On the infrequent occasion his officers took steps to lay charges for mischief, intimidation or hate speech, typically the outcome would be that the charges would be thrown out.

 

Five anti-Israel activists who crashed a Giller Prize gala a mere few weeks following the October 7 attacks, Chief Demkiw pointed out in his letter, faced no consequences for their illegal actions. Forged documents were used by the disruptors to enable entrance to the event at which they repeatedly interrupted proceedings, screaming slogans or leaping on stage to accuse the organizers of being complicit in genocide.

 

Police laid charges, including that of criminal mischief, despite which Crown prosecutors dropped all the charges. His investigators, said Chief Demkiw, do not lay charges frivolously; as a result "there is a frustration" experienced when so few of those duly charged end up not being prosecuted. Weekly anti-Israel demonstrations held at the intersection of Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue, the heart of Canada's densest Jewish neighbourhood came under mention in the letter.

 

Demonstrators have dressed themselves to resemble the deceased Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the October 7 atrocities. Masked flag-bearers march through surrounding neighbourhoods at the nexus of the Jewish-domiciled areas. For weeks a highway overpass near the neighbourhood was occupied in 2024 by anti-Israel demonstrators who deliberately blocked the road so they could perform public Islamic group prayers.

The Palestine Youth Movement held a downtown rally from Yonge and Dundas Sts. to the Israeli Consulate on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, before shutting down the intersection to traffic. Photo by Caryma Sa'd /Special to the Toronto Sun

 

"The only reason to show up in this neighbourhood mostly masked up is to intimidate Jews where they live", observed Conservative Deputy Leader Melissa Lantsman. The December 30 letter from Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner chiding law enforcement for  being too hands-off in dealing with anti-Israel disorder, prompted Chief Demkiw's response, blaming Crown attorneys for what appeared to be police inaction.

 

The Toronto Police Association in September was inspired to blame judges for an incident where a 12-year-old on a release order was accused of taking part in the beating death of a homeless man. Edmonton Police slammed Crown prosecutors for failing to pursue charges against a woman accused of killing an eight-year-old Indigenous girl, the same month.

 

Even while Toronto police argue with the provincial government over who is responsible for lax prosecution of demonstrators, a protest on the weekend saw police respond more toughly when officers were pelted with "eggs, used toilet paper, and plastic bags filled with what appeared to be urine". This took place at an anti-immigration rally by the group Canada First. 

 

Since the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 and Israel’s subsequent invasion of Gaza, Toronto police say officers have attended more than 800 demonstrations related to the conflict. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)