CIJA welcomes Toronto’s move to protect communities from hateful demonstrations, urges swift and enforceable action

Toronto, Ontario – December 19, 2024 – Last night, Toronto City Council directed City Staff to draft a proposed bylaw to protect communities from hateful demonstrations, including at places of worship, faith-based schools, and cultural institutions. Staff have been directed to report back to Council with the bylaw in the first quarter of 2025.

In response, Michelle Stock, Vice President, Ontario, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, released the following statement:

“For more than a year, demonstrations marked by antisemitic chants, hateful signs, and physically intimidating behaviour have targeted synagogues, schools, and community centres in Toronto and the GTA. By setting up their protests near these specific institutions, protesters are preventing seniors from attending synagogue. They are yelling vile words at children trying to learn math or English and harassing those accessing services for developmental disabilities. Their actions are intended to intimidate the Jewish community, leaving many fearful of gathering and going about daily life. No child should have to experience this. No reasonable person can argue that a school is an appropriate venue for such demonstrations.

“Yes, the rights to free expression and to protest are fundamental to Canadian society, but these rights are not absolute, and they should never come at the expense of the right of others to safety. The options for appropriate locations for protest are bountiful in this city; religious institutions, schools, childcare centres, and hospitals are not among them, and they must be protected. This is a common-sense measure to protect and reassure all communities that they can worship, learn, and gather safely.

“We welcome the City’s decision to tackle this serious issue but urge them to do so quickly. At a time when antisemitism in this city has hit crushing levels and the community is impacted daily by its debilitating effects, the time for action is now. It is urgent that every measure possible to curtail the hate, which has been allowed to fester and thrive on our streets, be implemented without further delay.  

“It is also crucial that the bylaw have teeth. It must include punitive measures for non-compliance, contain enforcement powers, and, most importantly, it must be enforced. An unenforced rule is not a deterrent!

“CIJA will ensure the community’s voice is heard during the consultation process. If done properly, this bylaw will have real-world impacts, protecting and reassuring community members of all ages who use these facilities every day.”

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