An Al-Quds Day rally took place in Toronto on Saturday after the Ford government's attempt to block it through a court injunction failed. Premier Doug Ford had instructed Attorney General Doug Downey to pursue the injunction, calling the demonstration "a breeding ground for hate and antisemitism" that "glorifies violence" and "celebrates terrorism". Ford expressed his disappointment with the court's decision.
Justice Robert Centa dismissed the province's request less than an hour before the protest was scheduled to begin, stating that the legal threshold to block the rally had not been met. He cited insufficient evidence that the protest would lead to significant criminal activity or that police could not maintain order. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association warned that seeking to shut down a protest before it begins threatens Charter-protected freedoms and is a dangerous step.
The rally, held outside the U. S. Consulate on University Avenue, saw participants waving Palestinian and Iranian flags while chanting "Free Palestine". Some counter-protesters waved Israeli flags and flags of pre-revolution Iran. Al-Quds Day, initiated in Iran in 1979, is described by organizers as a demonstration of support for Palestinians. This year's event also included calls for "no war in Iran and Lebanon". Toronto police had increased their presence in anticipation of the rally.
Stephen Ellis, legal counsel for the Al-Quds Day demonstration, stated that the rally provides an opportunity to speak out against war in the Middle East. Councillors Brad Bradford and James Pasternak jointly urged Mayor Olivia Chow to condemn the gathering, with Bradford stating that "public safety must come first". A man named Jamal, who attended the rally, expressed his support for the Palestinian people and called Ford's attempt to block the protest "crazy," stating he didn't see any threat to national security.
