Protesters set to demonstrate across Canada as Israel-Hamas war rages

Demonstrators gathered in cities across Canada on Sunday to stage rallies related to the Israel-Hamas war.

In Toronto, a protest organized by the group Ceasefire Now voiced solidarity with residents of the Gaza Strip starting at 1 p.m. ET in front of city hall, with similar demonstrations planned in Montreal and other cities.

Calgary will also see a pro-Israel rally at Olympic Plaza at 1 p.m. MT, and a pro-Palestine rally in front of the Municipal Building, also called City Hall, at 2 p.m.

This follows the arrest of Wesam Cooley, who also goes by Wesam Khalid, an organizer for Calgary group Justice for Palestinians, for causing a disturbance on Nov. 5, with the Calgary Police Service’s hate crime coordinator saying hate motivation was applied to the charge. He was released on bail with conditions.

Officers have not said what Cooley allegedly said, but according to a statement from Justice for Palestinians, it was for the chant “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”

Police say hate speech, as defined in the Criminal Code, is complex, and several contextual factors must be considered before charges can be laid.

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Families said attending the pro-Palestinian rallies has become a weekly occurrence. Many attendees donning red and green — Pan-Arab colours included in the Palestine flag — chanted “End the siege of Gaza” and held signs reading, “Ceasefire now, stop genocide.”

Meanwhile, a rally in support of Israelis was planned for Toronto’s Christie Pits Park, organized by the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights.

The park holds historical significance for Jewish Canadians, marking the spot where violence erupted between Jews and Anglo-Canadians in the 1933 Christie Pits Riot, set off by a swastika flag unfurled by Nazi-inspired youth.

Sunday’s demonstrations come amid growing calls for a ceasefire as the death toll rises in the Gaza Strip, where power and fuel shortages wreak havoc on its health centres while fierce clashes play out between Israeli troops and Hamas militants.

The rallies also come after a slew of hateful acts targetting Jews and Muslims in Montreal since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.