Israeli flag-raising event to go ahead at city hall
Security concerns put similar Ottawa event in doubt
Officials plan to raise the flag of Israel at Toronto city hall on Tuesday while a similar annual event planned for Ottawa was put in doubt over security concerns.
Toronto city staff, in an email to the Star, noted that non-profits and charitable organizations can request the raising of flags, including flags of nations recognized by Global Affairs Canada, on the courtesy flagpole on a podium overlooking Nathan Phillips Square.
“Accordingly, the City has approved a request from the Consulate General of Israel in Toronto, as part of their observance of Israel’s Independence Day, to fly the flag of Israel at City Hall on Tuesday, May 14,” said city staff.
Unlike previous years, the event was not included on a public list of flag-raisings due to heightened tensions over the war in Gaza.
As well as Israeli diplomatic staff, the annual event is expected to include invited guests including Coun. James Pasternak, who has voiced strong support for Israel after the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israelis by Hamas and Israel’s ensuing bombardment of Gaza. The flagpole is on city hall’s green roof which can be closed to the public.
Last week the city of Ottawa announced that a flag-raising ceremony there, also planned for Tuesday, was cancelled, citing intelligence that the event would pose “a substantial risk to public safety.”
“The city must prioritize the safety of its residents, visitors and employees,” Ottawa officials said in a news release. “Therefore, this year’s commemoration will occur without the customary ceremony,” although the Israeli flag will fly at Ottawa city hall.
However, on Friday, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said he has asked the city, police and the Jewish Federation of Ottawa to co-ordinate an event that protects everyone’s safety, The Canadian Press reported. Sutcliffe said Ottawa’s Jewish community deserves to hold public events without fear of threats and intimidation.
Pro-Palestinian protests critical of Israel’s ongoing military assaults on parts of Gaza have been happening in Toronto, across Canada and around the world, for months, along with counterprotests in support of Israel.
Some in the Jewish community say the anti-Israel rhetoric on display has often crossed the line into antisemitism and that they feel targeted and intimidated by the protests. Pro-Palestinian protesters, meanwhile, say charges of antisemitism have frequently been used to stifle pro-Palestinian speech.
While these protests have been generally peaceful, some protesters have been charged for various offences.
Toronto City Council does not approve individual flag-raising requests. The city’s chief of protocol has delegated authority from city council to approve such requests. To request that a confirmed flag be taken down, city council as a whole would need to change what was previously approved.