Canadian PM Trudeau condemns 'glorification of violence' in protests after Hamas attacked Israel

On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other Canadian officials condemned demonstrations across the country by persons they accused of glorifying violence by supporting the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas’ attack on Israel. “I strongly condemn the demonstrations that have taken place, and are taking place, across the country in support of Hamas’ attacks on Israel,” Trudeau said in a post on X, formerly called Twitter. “The glorification of violence is never acceptable in Canada,” he added. Trudeau spoke at a support rally for Israel late Monday and criticised Hamas’ attack. Canadian political figures from all parties have expressed their support for Israel. When asked if he differentiated between pro-Palestinian protesters and Hamas supporters, his staff failed to reply. Various groups across Canada held competing marches and rallies through Monday, including in Toronto, where over 1,000 protestors gathered in a demonstration organised by the Palestinian Youth Movement. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow denounced the demonstrations in the city and said they were unsanctioned. Chow added: “The government of Canada has rightly listed Hamas as a terrorist organization.” Toronto police Deputy Chief Lauren Pouge said police respected the right to free speech while being against hate speech or speech glorifying violence. Canadian province Ontario’s premier, Doug Ford, also said “hate rallies celebrating the kidnapping and slaughtering of innocent Israeli people by terrorists are reprehensible and disgusting.” Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on Saturday killing hundreds of Israelis and seizing dozens of hostages. Israeli TV channels said the death toll from the Hamas attack had climbed to 900, with at least 2,600 injured. Israel subsequently battered Palestinians with air strikes in Gaza. Gaza’s Health Ministry said at least 687 Palestinians have been killed and 3,726 wounded in Israeli air strikes on the blockaded enclave since Saturday. Mona Ayesh, a 46-year-old Palestinian-Canadian woman, who attended the Toronto protest, condemned the Israeli occupation of West Bank and noted Gazans have lived under an Israeli-led blockade for 16 years, since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007. “The illegal Israeli occupation has to end in order for this violence that happened to end,” she told Reuters.