Ottawa cancels Israeli flag ceremony, cites security

City officials say they’ve cancelled plans to host a flag-raising ceremony at Ottawa City Hall marking the establishment of Israel because of security concerns.

The Israeli flag will be raised next Tuesday to mark Yom Ha’atzmaut, but a ceremony involving the mayor, diplomats and members of the Jewish community will not go ahead.

The city said it has intelligence that suggests the event would pose “a substantial risk to public safety.” It did not offer details about that concern.

“The city must prioritize the safety of its residents, visitors and employees. Therefore, this year’s commemoration will occur without the customary ceremony,” the city said in a statement Tuesday.

Ottawa police did not answer questions about the security concerns or its recommendation to cancel the event,.

Social-media posts suggest the event would have attracted protesters, including from the student-led pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of Ottawa.

The group Ottawa 4 Palestine shared on social media last week that it planned to “shut down the Zionist flag-raising event.”

In a social-media post, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said he’s disappointed at the decision.

“The Jewish community is a vital and important part of our city. Members of Ottawa’s Jewish community have faced a significant increase in antisemitism, threats, and hostility in the past seven months,” Sutcliffe said.

“Add security, take precautions. Do not simply cancel the event,” Liberal MP Anthony Housefather wrote on X.

Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman called the cancellation decision cowardly.