Police under scrutiny as protests escalate
GTA demonstrators force cancellation of key political events
When Flavio Volpe’s Uber pulled up at the AGO on Saturday evening to attend an event with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni, he immediately sensed there was going to be trouble, he says.
Unlike the heavy security normally seen at events involving heads of government, the streets had not been blocked off and police presence was minimal. There were protesters everywhere.
“I fully expected there would be hundreds of protesters there, the prime minister is a legitimate target (of protest),” said Volpe. “But I also expected police to have secured the site to provide safe passage for guests.”
Volpe, who had been invited as the president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, was told to wait for more than an hour. Then police escorted him and his group to a side entrance, where they were met by protesters whom they allege blocked the doors and physically assaulted attendees.
“A person in my party was struck in the face,” Volpe said. “This is a shocking lack of leadership from law enforcement.”
By 6:30 p.m. a federal source said “about two hundred” had encircled the building and its entrances, with police clearly outnumbered.
Meloni had been expected to attend for about 45 minutes before she and her entourage were scheduled to depart for a flight to Italy.
But neither Trudeau nor Meloni made it inside.
At 7:45 p.m. the Prime Minister’s Office in consultation with the RCMP called off the event, because it was clear that police were on the ground but not in great enough numbers to clear passage, according to federal sources, speaking on condition they not be identified in order to discuss security concerns.
The protests against the Israeli bombing campaign of Gaza, which has killed more than 30,000 people, have grown increasingly confrontational since Oct. 7, when Hamas fighters killed 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped 250 more.
In the past week, protesters have targeted two high-profile political events: Saturday’s meeting at the AGO and a Liberal party fundraiser Tuesday night in Yorkville.
And as demonstrations become increasingly prolific some question whether they infringe on the rights of innocent bystanders, if police are equipped to respond appropriately and if the protests are moving toward constructive dialogue or just inflaming tensions.
Videos circulating online show a throng of protesters blocking the entrances to both events, with police largely looking on as attendees attempt to find a way through.
There are several scuffles between protesters and police and attendees, although it is difficult to determine the severity of any violence that occurred.
Police did not make any arrests or lay any charges at either event, but both ended up being cancelled.
“We are committed to providing a sense of safety and security for Torontonians while also upholding the constitutionally protected right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” said Toronto Police Service spokesperson Stephanie Sayer. “Admittedly, this balance requires a delicate and thoughtful approach to navigating situations where multiple factors or interests need to be managed carefully.”
“Tonight was a victory!” declared a Sunday Instagram post by AGO protest organizer Palestinian Youth Movement Toronto.
“We will continue to come out and SHUT IT DOWN until our demands are met: ARMS EMBARGO NOW. PERMANENT CEASEFIRE NOW. END THE SIEGE ON GAZA NOW. FREE PALESTINE!”
The protesters’ aggressive tactics risk alienating supporters of their cause, Volpe said.
“So many of us are sympathetic with the humanitarian catastrophe (in Gaza),” he said. “They’re burning the goodwill.”
Ya’ara Saks, the Liberal MP who hosted Tuesday’s fundraiser, put out a statement on Instagram and Facebook thanking Toronto police for “keeping everyone safe.”
“There are appropriate places for freedom of expression and the right to protest. It comes with the responsibility to respect our community and our local businesses. Aggression and intimidation such as we witnessed last night and on Saturday are unacceptable,” she wrote. Organizers defended the protests. “If not these events, where are we supposed to protest?” said one organizer with York Centre for Palestine, whom the Star agreed not to name to avoid personal attacks online. “We’ve tried to contact our MPs. They’ve been hiding,” the organizer said. “If we have to meet you at your Yorkville dinner, that’s what we’ll do.”
“We’re missing the root of the issue, which is this genocide that Canada is actively funding” through investments in Israeli companies made by the Canada Pension Plan and donations by Canadian charities, they said.
Some decried the presence of the protesters at the high-profile events in Toronto both targeting Canadian government officials.
“The conduct is absolutely unacceptable. One person’s free speech cannot deny others the right to their free speech or access to a building. Political leaders at all levels of government need to show leadership and tell police that they will support them,” said Liberal MP Anthony Housefather.
“Nobody has a right to impede other people from entering or leaving a building safely or attending an event. You can protest it outside and demonstrate, but you cannot scare, intimidate or impede others from entering or leaving.”
Liberal MP Marco Mendicino said the protests “are part of a deeply concerning trend involving coercive tactics which are aimed at instigating conflict.”
“Regrettably, recent incidents have emboldened protesters at the expense of public safety. The only way to reverse this trend is for police to enforce the law against those who break it,” he said in an email.
If not these events, where are we supposed to protest? We’ve tried to contact our MPs. They’ve been hiding. If we have to meet you at your Yorkville dinner, that’s what we’ll do.
PROTEST ORGANIZER WITH YORK CENTRE FOR PALESTINE