Anti-Military Protests Now Embrace the Anti-Israel, Pro-Palestinian Movement

"Freedom of expression has reasonable limits to protect citizens, property and businesses from disruptive or unlawful [events]."

"Identity-concealing clothing and masks [and] dumping paint on the roadway, [while demonstrators were also] observed filling disposable water bottles with paint, which they reportedly were to be used to target police officers [cannot be countenanced]."

"At this time, 12 people have been arrested for mischief and assaulting police. There have been no injuries reported."

"People are still being processed, and the incidents are being looked into. This will take some time. As of now, a woman is being charged with assaulting police and disguise with intent. She is being held in custody and will appear in court tomorrow."

Ottawa Police Service statement

 

"People are aware that the weapons companies that are arming the genocide are at the EY Centre, so there is definitely the motivation to come out and protest."

"[Some of the arms manufacturers exhibiting supply weapons to Israel for its Gaza operations]."

'Shut Down CANSEC' co-organizer, Brent Patterson

 

"We’re here because this is Canada’s biggest weapons fair and we know the companies in this building, the military representatives in this building are responsible for some of the worst war crimes on the planet." 

"We have a vision for Canada that is not based on dropping bombs around the world, that is not based on partnering with Israel and its attacks on Palestine."

"We’re demanding a foreign policy from Canada that, yes, is separate from the U.S., but is also separate from U.S. warmaking and from its allies’ wars."

Rachel Small, with World Beyond War

 

"These arrests had taken place after numerous hours of negotiations through our police liaison team with their representatives and with those individuals themselves to move back onto the sidewalk, as opposed to on the roadway."

"Our east investigation detectives are currently working on that file [assault on trade show attendee] right now."

Ottawa police Duty Insp. Scott Pettis 

A protester holds a baby doll covered in fake blood at an attendee arriving at the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries annual defence industry trade show CANSEC, in Ottawa, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)

After the Ottawa Police Service's liaison team "made numerous attempts to have the protesters co-operate", demonstrators were cleared outside the CANSEC military trade show in Ottawa. A dozen protesters were arrested and charged with "mischief and assaulting police". Outside Ottawa Police Service headquarters, another demonstrator was arrested later, for "causing a disturbance". 

Nice to see Ottawa Police in action, upholding lawful assembly, but moving in to remove those individuals whose actions went beyond mere civil disobedience. This event was treated somewhat differently than myriad similar protests that have taken place in Ottawa over the past 18 months, focused solely on castigating Israel as a war-mongering 'genocidal' state for responding to the Palestinian terrorist assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023.

 

Those demonstrations, where protesters increasingly made it plain they were supporting the Hamas terror group, proscribed in Canada, but obviously supported and even venerated as a freedom group, bent on 'liberating' Palestinians from Israeli occupation, while denying the Palestinian groups like Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the PLFP and Fatah are terrorist groups guilty of indiscriminate slaughter and grisly savagery in their hatred of Jews 'occupying' their very own ancestral lands the Palestinians identify as theirs alone. 

While there is a police presence at these demonstrations where masked and keffiyed participants scream invective at Jewish Canadians, shout 'globalize the Intifada', and 'From the river to the sea' with its implied message of destroying Israel and extinguishing Jewish lives in another 'Final Solution', there has been no restraining or protective police action, even when mobs of Muslims squat on the streets and intersections in mass prayer sessions.

 

Police closed Uplands Drive near Ottawa's EY Centre for more than two hours Wednesday as demonstrators protested the annual weapons fair. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)

War protesters representing various anti-war groups are accustomed to protesting at events such as the annual conference of military and government personnel, diplomats and weapons-manufacturing representatives. Adding slanderous accusations against the Jewish State as a war-mongering country with an agenda to wipe out neighbouring Palestinians is a newish twist, as is the presence of masked, keffiyeh-clad anti-Israel groups intent on smearing Israel by attributing to it the kinds of lethal savagery that Palestinian terrorist groups have perfected against Israel, causing the state to respond to a declaration of war.

 

Canada's new government has pledged a commitment to rebuilding the wan and feeble Canadian military, at the ongoing demands of NATO and in particular of U.S. President Donald Trump, that it step up its military preparedness in an increasingly hostile world where China, Russia, North Korea and Iran present singly and as a conspiratorial quartet, threats against the democratic world order. Over12,000 people were expected to appear at the CANSEC conference with its 285 exhibitors highlighting the latest  technological advances in military hardware. 

A rally was previously held on May 1 at the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries offices calling for CANSEC to be cancelled. A conference attendee was assaulted in the area around the conference, coming away with minor injuries and treated on scene by paramedics. 

Speaking before the CANSEC audience of military contractors, Canada's Defence Minister David McGuinty informed gathered contractors that globally countries are swiftly adjusting to a fast-moving, global threat environment. He discussed the new government of Canada's plan to join ReArm Europe, a major European defence procurement pact to rearm and build up domestic defence industries. 

"The lessons that we're seeing that through the brutal war in Ukraine and the loss of countless lives unnecessarily by the illegal invasion of Russia ... show us that we need to be prepared for potential future threats."

"ReArm Europe is one of those ways of diversifying portfolios, and I think it'll probably be good for Canadian business."

Royal Canadian Airforce Commander Lt.-Gen.Eric Kenny

Police keep watch as protesters yell and gesture toward attendees arriving at the annual CANSEC trade show at Ottawa's EY Centre on Wednesday. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)

 

 

Exalting Terrorism and Expressing Antisemitism In Germany -- One Count and You're Out!

"[The acts perpetrated by Hamas on October 7 have been] celebrated in a repugnant way [on social media in Germany. [The attack in Mannheim] also was glorified on the net by many in the most appalling way."

"Such brutalization online stokes a climate of violence that can drive extremists to new acts of violence."

"So it's very clear to me that Islamist agitators who mentally live in the Stone Age have no place in our country. Anyone who has no German passport and glorifies terrorist acts here must, wherever possible, be expelled and deported."

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser

A protester is dragged away by police officers during a pro-Palestinians demonstration on the campus of Berlin's Free University, in Berlin, Germany, May 7, 2024.

 

New legislation is being launched in Germany to make it easier to deport foreigners who engage in public approval of terrorism. With the new law a sole, single comment posted to social media could conceivably represent adequate grounds for government agencies to deport those it considers have countered the law, offending Germany's moral and ethical codes unpermitting of verbal violence against Jews in particular. 

Public demands that the state  take remediative action against foreign elements that have supported the Hamas atrocities in southern Israel on October 7, and the rising levels of antisemitism that have resulted from among asylum seekers compelled Chancellor Olaf Scholz to take hard action against those who unreservedly promote hate among themselves and infecting larger parts of the population.

 

A man attacks people with a knife, at a far right-wing information stand of the Buergerbewegung Pax Europa (BPE) in the central market of the city of Mannheim, Germany, May 31, 2024, in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. Buergerbewegung Pax Europa/Handout via REUTERS

 

The Cabinet approved the measure in the wake of a deadly knife attack a month ago against a group describing itself as opposition to "political Islam". During the assault a police officer was killed. Migration continues to be a headache for Germany. Under Chancellor Angela Merkel, in 2015 a million asylum seekers, basically economic migrants, were permitted to enter Germany when the EU was being flooded with an unstoppable migrant rush, mostly young males from the Middle East and North Africa.

Now, Chancellor Scholz faces a backlash by a population fed up with rising crime levels and in particular violence against women where incidents of rape have increased substantially. More latterly, since the October 7 Hamas assault in Israel, many from among the migrant community have expressed their general contempt and hatred for Jews; their cultural/religious racism in free expression.

 

New citizenship legislation stipulates that naturalized people must be capable of supporting themselves and their relatives financially, that those seeking citizenship be committed to the "free democratic fundamental order" is already covered under the existing law, with the new version specifying that antisemitic and racist acts are incompatible with the original stipulation. 

 

Basically, according to government rules, issues like antisemitism, Israel's right of existence, along with Jewish security in Germany now have greater weight in the test for citizenship which applicants must undergo.

 

The country's law on residence will also undergo change; approving or promoting "a single terrorist crime" is to be viewed as grounds for a "particularly serious interest in expulsion", according to the German Interior Ministry. In other words, a single comment that "glorifies and endorses a terrorist crime on social media" could result in expulsion.

Under the new guidelines anyone publicly approving of an offence "in a manner which is suited to causing a disturbance of the public peace", could face expulsion, without  a conviction. Simple social media post 'likes' will not fall into the deportation category. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser expressed her confidence that these changes would shortly be approved by lawmakers, nor is she concerned that freedom of speech laws would be impacted.

Source: JGI/Tom Grill / GettyImages.de

Breaking the Law on Canadian University Campuses

"I am writing to remind you of the University of Toronto's commitment to free expression and lawful and peaceful protest, as well as the necessary limits that accompany those freedoms."

"[Students are allowed to] engage in peaceful assemblies and demonstrations [however anti-Israel protests such as tent encampments do not fall under the protections scope of university policy]."

"Any student involved in unauthorized activities or conduct that contravenes University policies or the law may be subject to consequences."

 Sandy Welsh, vice-provost, students, University of Toronto

 

"We understand that some in our community want to protest the violence and war they see unfolding. These actions must always be taken with respect for others and within the boundaries of university policy and the law."

"We also remind everyone that hate and intolerance have no place at UBC. The university must be a place of reasoned debate where conflicting views can peacefully coexist."

Matthew Ramsey, acting senior director, media relations, University of British Columbia 

"[McGill has seen video evidence of] some people using unequivocally antisemitic language and intimidating behaviour, which is absolutely unacceptable on our campuses."

"We condemn this in the strongest possible terms and will act quickly to investigate."

"The number of individuals who have set up tents on campus has tripled since Saturday. We have become aware that many of them, if not the majority, are not members of the McGill community. [While we support] the rights of our campus community to freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly [we do so] with the understanding that these must be exercised within the bounds of McGill's policies as well as the law."

"We have been clear that these encampments violate both."

Fabrice Labeau, deputy provost, student life and learning, McGill University

By Monday morning, the group of people gathered on McGill campus had grown. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press)

"[While welcome to protest, student] encampments and occupations will not be tolerated."

"We have forcefully and repeatedly affirmed that no incitement to violence or incidents of harassment or hate, including Islamophobia and Antisemitism, will be tolerated on our campuses."

Eric Bercier, associate vice-president of student affairs, University of Ottawa

University administrators have suddenly become aware that their august institutions have become hotbeds of antisemitism, even though that ancient curse on the Jews has been manifesting its presence for months, in the wake of the October 7 atrocities committed by Palestinian terrorist groups in Israel and the predictable Israel Defense Forces response by invading Gaza for the purpose of annihilating the Hamas government's terrorist infrastructure and eliminating its terrorist operatives. Even before October 7, for years antisemitism on Canadian campuses have slithered out of the woodworks, a reflection of Canadian universities' courting of foreign students and the influx of immigration from North Africa and the Middle East.

Some of the current responses from the universities in the face of swelling, blatant and vicious antisemitic intimidation of Jewish students, along with the condemnations of Israel and its response to the October 7 bloodbath perpetrated on Israeli citizens have been carefully worded with the intention of both decrying the illegal acts of protest occupation yet causing as little community offense as possible. It is telling that concerns of offending the new and burgeoning Muslim-Canadian population sees university administrators following the example of prime minister Justin Trudeau who cannot condemn antisemitism without including 'Islamophobia'.

Now, finally, after months of viral and sometimes violent university protests, Canadian universities are paying attention to the stress and fear these protests engender among Jews and Jewish university students, in the face of protest occupations of university campuses. The University of Toronto has issued a warning that protest tents on campus would be considered "trespassing"; that while the school supports freedom of expression, assembly and protest, occupations of student buildings and encampments would not be permitted.

The trouble with these warnings finally being issued, is that they've come too late. Previous assemblies complete with violent language, intimidation and disorder were permitted to occur, unremarked upon, with each succeeding iteration being more irrational, threatening and chaotic than the last. The result of which has been a growing sense of entitlement by 'pro-Palestinian', 'anti-Israel' agitators, many of whom have finally been recognized as not emanating from the student bodies of  the universities themselves, but outside organizers.

The protesters insist it is their right under the Canadian constitution to behave in a way that disrupts normal life of the university and most certainly the lives of Jewish students whom the protests tend to target for criminal harassment. Lawyers acting on their behalf have informed school administrators that the protesters refuse to disperse and dispense with their agitation until all their demands have been met by the university; condemnation of Israel, and de-investing in any ventures in which Israel would be involved, as well as outlawing interchange with Israeli academics. Their lawyers have informed school administrators that the students "have instead [of removing their tents], indicated that they intended to remain on campus indefinitely".

A man reads a sign of demands posted outside a pro-Palestinian encampment set up on McGill University's campus in Montreal, Tuesday, April 30, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

"[I have been] very preoccupied and concerned about the situation on campus because we've seen what happened in the last couple [of] weeks and days in the United States and Europe."

"I don't want the situation to degenerate, to get out of control."

Quebec Higher Education Minister Pascale Dery

A pro-Palestinian encampment has grown since it began Saturday at Montreal's McGill University, joining a wave of pro-Palestinian demonstrations held on campuses across the United States. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)

Chaotic Christmas Shopping Courtesy of Palestinian Outrage

"We can confirm that a demonstrator and another citizen who was at the mall exchanged words, which you see in a video that's circulating, and officers were keeping them apart. We are investigating this incident."

"During a situation like this, when tensions are high and there are large crowds of people, including the general public, officers must use their best judgement at the time, taking everyone's safety into consideration."

"The mall was very busy with holiday shoppers, and officers used their training to de-escalate the situation and disperse the crowd."

Toronto Police Service statement

 

"It's deeply concerning when people can make threats like that in the presence of police officers seemingly without consequence. I think it's important that even if you can't arrest somebody in the moment, because it might cause the situation to escalate or become more threatening or more violent, that there's followup, that things are being investigated and people are held to account." 

"Whatever's going on in the Middle East is complicated, but this is life here in Canada and people should have some decency to direct their protests where it's deserved, where it's merited, where there's a message being sent."

"It's not clear to me what these protesters are hoping to achieve other than to harass and intimidate Canadian shoppers during the holiday season."

"When somebody breaks the law there has to be accountability. Freedom of expression is a cherished Canadian right, and it's really a crucial value that we will share, but there are limits. When someone's expression of protest starts to veer into things that are unlawful ... this is a step too far."

Noah Shack, vice-president, Countering Anti-Semitism and Hate, United Jewish Appeal Federation of Greater Toronto

Pro-Palestine protesters target a Zara store on Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023, at Eaton Centre in Toronto. Photo by @neveragainlive1

Videos of a pro-Palestinian demonstration on Sunday that took place at The Eaton Centre outside a Zara store in Toronto have been viewed countless times on social media for the images of a masked protester threatening someone while Toronto police officers look on: "I'll put  you six-feet deep". "I'll put him on the ground", the masked protester says pointing at police officers in the mall. "You come near I'll put you lay down on the floor [sic] ... I'll put you six feet deep". The camera records police looking at one another while the protester moves on. 

In a later part of the video the man again says "I'll put you six feet deep. If you're a man, come touch me", the protester says again, in the presence of police. According to Toronto police, 150 demonstrators at about 5:30 p.m. entered the Eaton Centre where police had been stationed to augment regular mall security presence. At this time of year, with Christmas looming, and people out in great throngs doing their Christmas-gift shopping, the mall was busy.

 

Police and others theorize that the rally that took place that evening might be linked to a larger campaign to boycott Zara. A demonstration took place, as well as similar protests, at Yorkdale Shopping Centre and at Bayshore Shopping Centre in Ottawa. Zara shops are part of the clothing company Inditex, owned by the wealthy Ortega Spanish family (the eighth wealthiest family worldwide). Organizers of these protests may be under the impression that the Zara chain is Jewish-owned and a target for boycott. In very fact, the owners faced a lawsuit charging them with antisemitism.

Zara fashions have long garnered notoriety; once for a bag designed with the Nazi swastika symbol, another for a shirt emblazoned with a yellow star, reminiscent of Nazi Germany's persecution of Jews during the Holocaust years. This current protest is thought to have originated in a campaign to boycott after a Zara ad campaign titled "The Jacket", featuring a model in front of stylized rubble, carrying a mannequin wrapped in a shroud, reminiscent of destructive images in Gaza stemming from the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Idit Shamir, Consul General of Israel in Toronto, seeing the video, commented: "Pro-Palestinians terrify  young children waiting to meet Santa. Added bonus -- they are screaming that Jesus was a Palestinian. You can't make this stuff up."

Still from video

What 'Massacre'? (yawn)

"The anti-racism commissioner's silence and inaction after a historic week of antisemitic terrorism in Montreal is shocking."

"Manai's response to the Molotov cocktails tossed at Jewish institutions: silence. Her response to the bullets fired at Jewish schools: silence again."

"[Instead of speaking out about the attacks, Manai] chose to share content on social networks from groups that celebrated the October 7 massacre committed by Hamas, including a group that celebrated with candy at a rally immediately after the massacre."

"We are at a crucial moment in Montreal's history. The Jewish community is under attack. [Montreal needs a commissioner] who respects our collective principles and exercises sound judgement."

Eta Yudin, Quebec vice-president, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs

"We are all extremely worried about the increase in incidents and hate crimes, Islamophobic and antisemitic, which are exacerbated by the daily atrocity seen over more than thirty days in Palestine and Israel."

Bochra Manai, Montreal commissioner on racism and systemic discrimination

Bochra Manaï is seen in 2021, after she was appointed Montreal's commissioner on racism and systemic discrimination. Photo by Allen McInnis /Montreal Gazette

Montreal's commissioner on racism and systemic discrimination is being called upon to resign, her exercise of the authority vested in her position called out as "inexcusable and disqualifying behaviour" in recent weeks. The commissioner herself appears unmoved by the criticism. And Mayor Valerie Plante initially declined the opportunity to comment on the controversy over her appointed commissioner. Finally the mayor did respond: 

"Municipal officials and commissioners have a duty of discretion and it is expected that it will be respected."  

"This message was delivered [to Manaï, who] will meet all the communities affected by the conflict. There is clearly a bond of trust to be strengthened."

Office of the Mayor

The antisemitic vandalism that has taken place at the city's Jewish schools and synagogues, along with Jewish-owned businesses in the city, while shocking the Jewish community and denounced by many of the province's politicians, have brought no condemnatory remarks made publicly by Montreal's commissioner Bochra Manai, whose position of trust and authority on the issue calls upon her to do just that.

The advocacy arm of Jewish federations country-wide, representing the interests of roughly 150,000 Jewish Canadians has been brought to bear on the matter. B'nai Brith Canada separately made no call for Manai to leave her position, characterizing instead her attitude to be "outrageous and unacceptable", recommending that she "bear the authority of her office to help combat the contemptible events in Montreal".

 

Reportedly, the commissioner participated in pro-Palestinian protests. Manai, given screenshots shared on social media, has been posting regularly on Instagram, on the Israel-Hamas war. She is, quite evidently, not unbiased. Since criticism for her public silence surfaced, Manai defended herself without responding directly to the calls for her to leave the post.

"As some have noticed on my social networks, I recently took part in demonstrations in Montreal in support of a request for a ceasefire", she wrote. As "a woman committed to peace, saddened by the horror of this situation", she had a duty to do so, she stated, since she is "deeply concerned" about the rise in hate crimes.

"The Islamophobic and antisemitic acts and behaviours that have been committed in recent weeks are all unacceptable and must be strongly condemned."

"Targeting Jewish schools and children with bullets is a crime that must be punished and has no place in a metropolis like Montreal. The same goes for the targeting of Muslim places of worship."

"My role as a civil servant concerns internal change and I do not have a role of public representation. I was appointed to work with the entire municipal apparatus to accelerate the transformation to an administration free of racism and systemic discrimination."

"]As such she is] committed to meeting representatives of the Arab-Muslim and Jewish communities."

When the Legault government refused two weeks ago to support a motion calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Quebec solidaire MNA Haroun Bouazzi broke down in tears.

"[Montreal has witnessed] with horror an increase of acts of incredible violence against the Jewish communities."

"The exploitation of these antisemitic acts by pro-Israel lobbies to silence the voices protesting against the ongoing genocide in Gaza is despicable."

Quebec solidaire MNA Haroun Bouazzi

"The position of commissioner calls for [someone who can] bring together and consult Montreal communities, not divide them."

"[Montreal mayor Valerie Plante must ask herself whether Manai] still has the legitimacy and moral authority to occupy this position."

Aref Salem, leader, Ensemble Montreal, city hall opposition party

People take part in a pro-Palestinian rally in Montreal on Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023. Photo by Graham Hughes /The Canadian Press