After weeks of Palestinians staging anti-Israel protests on Canadian streets—even going so far as to block a highway overpass in the Toronto area—the Jewish community’s outrage has reached a boiling point. On Jan. 6, uniformed Toronto police officers were filmed handing over a large Tim Hortons coffee container and cups to protestors blockading a Jewish neighbourhood at Avenue Road and Wilson Avenue.
After the video went viral, the Toronto police later explained they did not provide the coffee to the protestors themselves, but were rather “managing a dynamic situation” by handing it over on behalf of some other protesters who had brought it but weren’t being permitted back inside the protest zone. Nevertheless, the gesture has touched off strong feelings, coming just days after a Jewish-owned deli in Toronto was set on fire—and after months of hundreds of Palestinian protests: including taking over shopping malls, vandalizing bookstores and Jewish businesses, interrupting literary events and disrupting the mayor’s skating party on Sunday. Most recently, they have been unfurling Palestinian banners across major roads and over highways in the Toronto area.
Community members want answers on why Toronto police are permitting these overpass protests— protests that even the Ontario solicitor general, who lives in the area, calls “intimidation and harassment”. On today’s episode of The CJN Daily, we try to find out why no one is stopping the protests, with Solicitor General Michael Kerzner, who is in charge of Ontario’s public safety and policing, and Toronto city councillor James Pasternak. Read more in The CJN.ca from special guest Lila Sarick, the CJN’s News Editor.
What we talked about:
- Read the petition circulating from residents of the Avenue Rd. and 401 neighbourhood asking for the Palestinian protests to be banned
- Watch the video clip of the coffee incident via Caryma Sa’d on X
- Learn more about the arson at the IDF grocery store in Toronto on Jan 3, in The CJN
Credits
The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here. Hear why The CJN is important to me.