There was an undetermined number of injuries and arrests. In addition to the hate-driven antisemitic Palestinian “resistance” protests that exploded in Toronto and Montreal, their supporters get special privilege during Covid lockdowns.
The Palestinian “resistance” has always been rooted in Islamic supremacist antagonism to Israel’s very existence, an antagonism that has no place in Canada, or in any other Western country, for that matter.
Without paying attention to history and without understanding jihadist expansionary ambitions, many media outlets and water-carrying Leftists accept the Palestinian characterization of themselves as victims. It is the Palestinian leadership that severely oppresses its people, especially women (who are devalued in Islamic tradition), and uses Palestinians as human shields in its jihad against Israel.
Despite the fact that “the Province of Ontario enacted one of the strictest lockdowns yet seen in the Western world,” massive Palestinian protests were allowed without accountability to either police or politicians.
Churches, meanwhile, are banned from congregating. At the end of April, Canadian Member of Parliament Derek Sloan and a Member of Ontario’s Provincial parliament, Randy Hillier, were actually charged for attending “an illegal” Church service.
“LEVY: Israel supporter says protest ‘scariest thing I’ve ever endured,'” by Sue-Ann Levy, Toronto Sun, May 16, 2021:
Israel-born Shawn says things got so violent at a pro-Palestine protest on a packed Nathan Phillips Square Saturday night it reminded him of the 1930s and 1940s in Nazi Germany.
Despite the provincial stay-at-home order, at least 5,000 Palestine supporters turned up to decry the latest Israel-Gaza conflict — several seemingly itching for a fight.
Shawn, who didn’t want his last name used, said it didn’t take long for tensions to escalate, despite efforts by the police to keep the 50-odd Israel supporters apart from the protesters.
The 27-year-old said after the police evacuated the Israel supporters from the square, he was chased by protesters who broke the police line and came after him and others with “sticks and rocks” down a side street.
He claimed once the police escorted them off the Square, they were left to their own devices. He insisted they did nothing to provoke their attackers.
A variety of videos from the evening and displayed on social media show protesters carrying the Palestinian flag and wearing keffiyehs while chasing after the pro-Israeli group with sticks, leaving at least one who identified himself as Zvi bloodied and on the ground.
“It got really terrifying,” said Shawn, noting he moved to Canada from Israel because he thought he’d be safer.
Meitar and her sister took what they thought was a simple drive downtown after Shabbat was over to observe the proceedings, not to interact with anyone.
She said she’d purchased an Israeli flag and put it in her car window.
On a one-way street near Richmond and Bay Sts. — where the car was stopped due to traffic — her vehicle was surrounded by pro-Palestinian protesters, said Meitar, who also didn’t want her last name used.
She added things were thrown at her car, the poles of flags were banged on her windshield and one guy jumped on her car.
She said two of the protesters took their Israeli flag and started to burn it — all of this captured on video.
“It was the scariest thing I’ve ever endured in my life,” Meitar said, noting it was a Good Samaritan wearing a cross that helped them get out of there.
The violence sent shock waves through Toronto’s Jewish community Sunday — already reeling from events in Israel. All the major Jewish advocacy groups were quick to denounce what they called blatant anti-Semitism and the “brazen acts of assault, intimidation, and hate, targeting members of Toronto’s Jewish community and supporters of Israel.”
Sen. Linda Frum said she hopes civic leaders will call for appropriate action and that the police will “thoroughly investigate and prosecute” those who have committed a hate crime.
“I am quite shaken by it,” she said. “This has been enabled by politicians not properly denouncing Hamas terrorism.”
Multiple efforts to reach officials with the Toronto chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement, which organized protests worldwide Saturday, were unsuccessful.
Mayor John Tory said that hate, anti-Semitism and violence have no place in Toronto.
He added that he’s been in touch with the police chief and has asked to be informed about investigating video of a particularly disturbing incident and other documented examples of “unacceptable violence and hatred.”
Premier Doug Ford echoed that acts of “violence and expression of anti-Semitism” are “totally reprehensible.” However, he did not comment on the obvious defiance of his stay-at-home order.…
“Montreal police deploy tear gas as pro-Israeli, pro-Palestinian protestors clash,” by Alessia Simona Maratta, Global News, May 16, 2021:
Pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian demonstrators clashed in downtown Montreal on Sunday, leading to at least one arrest and the deployment of tear gas by riot police.
Hundreds of pro-Israel supporters gathered at Dorchester Square one day after thousands attended a pro-Palestinian march demanding an end to Israeli airstrikes over the Gaza Strip.
Sunday’s demonstration was met by pro-Palestinian counter-protesters. Montreal police declared the rallies illegal after the two groups became violent with each other.
Footage captured of the protest showed at least one arrest and violence between demonstrators and riot police, who deployed chemical tear gas.
Police spokesperson Julien Lévesque could not confirm the number of arrests nor how many injuries were reported. A tally is expected to be given later.
After Saturday’s march, Jewish Canadian advocacy organization CIJA told Global News that part of the problem is that the issue gets simplified on social media.
On Saturday, Palestinian supporters honked horns, waved Palestinian flags, chanted and held up pro-Palestine, anti-Israel signs that read “free Palestine,” “end the occupation,” “boycott Israel,” “stop killing Palestinian children,” and more….
Terry Gain says
Thank you Ms Douglass-Williams. I have shared this article on my Facebook Page. I have introduced it with the following comment.n
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Canada’s Trojan Horse Experiment is working out as I expected. Not very well. Why do our leaders think things will be any different in Canada than in France and the UK? No one in power is standing on guard for Canada. We have naively imported strife. At best.
Keith O says
I find it more than a little strange that Christian pastors can be arrested in Canada for holding church services and for feeding the homeless, but violent pro Palestinian protestors who are calling for the destruction of a nation and the murder of it’s citizens are given a free pass.
The Canadian government really screwed the pooch on this one.