Pro-Palestinian Threats of Terror-Inspired Mayhem

"Cheering for Team Canada is part of what it means to be Canadian. Yet, a small group of extremists have hijacked the Davis Cup, silencing thousands of fans -- many of whom travelled from afar -- who simply wanted to show pride in their country."

"It is unacceptable that hate, harassment, and intimidation have made it unsafe to support our athletes in our own country."

Noah Shack, CEO, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs 

 

"This decision was not taken lightly and was made in consultation with the International Tennis Federation."

"Intelligence received from local authorities and national security agencies, combined with disruptions witnessed at other recent events both in Canada and internationally, indicated a risk of significant disruption to this event."

"At the heart of this difficult decision is our responsibility to protect people while ensuring that this Davis Cup tie can still take place."

"Roughly 1,500 tickets per day are being refunded." 

Gavin Ziv, chief executive, Tennis Canada 

Canada captain Frank Dancevic says his team can adapt to playing without fans due to security risks and amid protests as they face Israel in a Davis Cup tie at Halifax’s Scotiabank Centre. Israel captain Jonathan Erlich calls the empty arena “sad” but says his players feel safe and proud to represent their country. (Sept. 11, 2025)

 

A zealous coterie of sociopaths claiming to be pro-Palestinian and by extension fully in approval of Hamas as a heroic grassroots Palestinian champion fighting back against the 'occupation' of  territory claimed by Palestinians as their own in their endless campaign of victimhood against a state aggressor that takes umbrage over savage attacks against its citizens, has set up permanent shop in Canada, assembling riotous street demonstrations urging a global intifada, a 'final solution' and threatening and intimidating Canadian Jews.

 

Under the guise of Charter-rights guaranteed free expression these organized groups of anti-Israel, antisemites, terror-approving Palestinian student youth and their acolytes have held the streets of Canadian cities hostage just as their champions have held Israeli citizens hostage, as bargaining chips in a campaign of legitimizing hate and destruction to enforce the isolation of Israel abroad and Canadian Jews within Canada. They have felt validated and empowered as a result of few governments at any level from municipal to provincial to federal putting a stop to encampments, mass public prayer, blockages of traffic arteries, and massed protests in front of synagogues, and sporadic vandalism.

 

The cancellation of entertainment and sports events that feature Jews or Israel is yet another tactic to delegitimize the presence of Jews as a normal part of any civilized population engaged in events that all others take part in. Now, as a result of campaigning against Jewish/Israeli inclusion, and the intimidating threats that accompany this oddly effective tool, Tennis Canada has make the choice to close tiebreaking tennis matches between Canada and Israel to the public in light of "escalating safety concerns". 

 

 

The premier international team event in men's tennis, the Davis Cup, organized by the International Tennis Federation, an annual competition that hosts teams from over 150 competing countries is the latest focus, one that, according to Noah Shack, has placed Canada at "a crossroads" where extremists who targeted the Toronto International Film Festival, then shut down the Ottawa Capital Pride Parade, forced the closure of Member of Parliaments' offices "and even made everyday activities such as visiting bookstores and grocery stores feel unsafe" has latterly targeted sport events. 

 

Demonstrators protest outside Montreal's Shaar Hashomayim Synagogue, Nov. 5, 2024. (Credit: Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs on X)

 

In response to these endless disruptions of civil life in Canada, those protesting the shut-down of special events by single-minded, Jew-targeting hordes are calling on political leaders in Canada to finally determine whether the country is to be governed by "peace, order, and good government", or fear and intimidation.  To the present, it is more than clear that no one in authority appears to be interested in tackling the viral situation that sees slanderous banner-hoisting, masked and keffiyeh-clad 'protesters' foist their version of 'free speech' on the larger community.

 

The tie game is to take place at Scotiabank Centre in downtown Halifax, on Friday and Saturday. Halifax Regional Police are silent on whether threats were directed at the Israeli team, but plan to have officers well in attendance at the event. 

 

The temper of the times in a  tempest of holding the actual victims of Palestinian violent aggression to be the aggressor, and the sympathy elicited among the young who take their impressions from staged events and social media that proclaim Palestinians to be the victims in this irresolvable issue of passionate 'decolonization' where Jews reside on their ancestral land while Palestinians claim it is their heritage, backgrounds an interesting poll.

 

Eylon Keshet holds posters of captive family members as he views ‘Voices From The Tunnels’, an exhibition organised by 7/10 Human Chain Project which aims to highlight the continued plight of Israeli hostages in Gaza and the conditions in which they believe captives are being held, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in London, Britain, January 15, 2024. REUTERS/Toby Melville

 

The rising antisemitism in Canada that erupted in the wake of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack in southern Israel, igniting Israel's invasion of Gaza and the resulting war against the Hamas group, has had its effect on Canadians -- where over recent years waves of immigrants, refugees and migrant haven-seekers see a Muslim presence far outnumbering that of Jews who have been part of Canada for centuries. A new poll attests to these attitudes that have been adopted within Canada. 

"[They likely] believe that the architects of terrorist attacks are themselves victims, and as such, they have concluded that the ends justify the means in pursuing the objective, however they choose to interpret it."

"[October 7 and the Israel-Hamas War have] likely had an important impact in reinforcing this perception [that terrorism can be justified]."

"There has been a considerable decline in trust of Israel, especially amongst younger Canadians and Americans, and a rise in levels of trust of Hamas as reflected in several recent surveys." 

Jack Jedwab, CEO, Association for Canadian Studies 

 

 

 

Demonstrators block a street while protesting Team Israel's participation in the Davis Cup tennis match against Team Canada in Halifax on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese