Anti-Israel protesters tried to infiltrate Jewish centre

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TORONTO — Dozens of anti-Israel protesters attempted to infiltrate a Jewish community centre through a ravine after the “Walk with Israel” on Sunday in Toronto.

“Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!” masked anti-Israel demonstrators chanted as they hiked through a wooded area behind the Prosserman Jewish Community Centre, where people of all ages congregated following Sunday’s event.

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Their attempt to disrupt the family event, featuring inflatables for children and food, was ultimately thwarted by Toronto law enforcement.

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The anti-Israel activists, many of them carrying massive Palestine flags and with their faces covered, walked through a Jewish neighbourhood in North York to get to the ravine and intimidated several local residents along the way.

“F***ing filthy f***in Zionist pig,” one masked male demonstrator screamed at an onlooker. “You’re a dirty Zionist rat. That’s what you are. Happy about killing babies, right? Happy about killing babies?”

Caryma Sa’d, a Toronto lawyer who has chronicled in real time much of the city’s anti-Israel protests, posted video of the scene at Sheppard and Bathurst streets on the social media platform X on Monday.

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One of the anti-Israel demonstrators is shown tearing down an Israeli hostage poster, while another was wearing a jacket emblazoned with a sniper scope and “Shoot Zionist” on his back.

Sana Zaid, a member of Toronto4Palestine — a group that participated in the counter-protest and supports the encampment at the University of Toronto — shared graphics of an inverted red triangle above local law enforcement protecting the Jewish community, a symbol used by Hamas to highlight its targeting of Israeli forces in propaganda videos that has become a popular graphic used by its supporters.

A protester is filmed defacing a local billboard with a red triangle as another stomps on an Israel flag in view of the marchers.

One Jewish participant at Sunday’s event saw the attempted infiltration as part of a new Canadian norm in the wake of October 7 and the atrocities committed by Hamas during its invasion of Israel.

“The Jew haters in this city have become increasingly emboldened due to a lack of response from all levels of government. They’ve gone from chanting Intifada and wearing terrorist symbols to physically entering Jewish neighbourhoods to stalk and harass Jews. When will it end?” Lisa told the National Post on condition of anonymity.

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“Violence feels imminent. Neither Mayor (Olivia) Chow nor Prime Minister (Justin) Trudeau showed up on Sunday to support the Jewish community, and their absence and silence speaks volumes.”

On Sunday, a record-breaking attendance of more than 50,000 people participated in the annual Walk with Israel in Toronto hosted by the United Jewish Appeal (UJA).

Vivian Bercovici, a Post contributor and former Canadian Ambassador to Israel during the Stephen Harper government, was disturbed that Toronto police looked on without intervention as the anti-Israel demonstrators harassed the Jewish neighbourhood and attempted to infiltrate the local community centre.

“Concealing one’s identity is a criminal offence in Canada in any violent context/protest. Here, we have masked men and women. Wearing one of the symbols of Hamas — a red triangle,” Bercovici wrote on social media. “This is not normal. They can go do this in their own neighbourhoods. But the intention is clearly to threaten Jews. Police are there — well — you can see for yourselves. Is this an effective law enforcement response @TPSMyronDemkiw police chief?”

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