Police presence has increased in several Canadian cities in preparation for protests and rallies commemorating the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack in Israel.
The attack killed more than 1,200 Israelis and took about 240 hostages, sparking an Israeli counterattack in the Gaza Strip that the regional health ministry said killed more than 41,000 people.
In the year since then, thousands of protests have taken place in Canada, with pro-Israel demonstrators demanding Hamas release the hostages, while pro-Palestinian voices calling for a ceasefire between the two countries. .
Here’s a look at what major cities across Canada were expecting ahead of Monday’s demonstrations.
Ottawa
Ottawa police say they are increasing patrols and presence around Jewish and Muslim places of worship and community centres.
“We are aware that next week, Oct. 7, marks the beginning of hostilities. We are closely monitoring the situation and assessing the potential impact on the local community,” Ottawa Police said. Announced. social media posts.
on sundayOttawa’s Jewish community gathered at Parliament House to remember the victims and demand the release of the hostages. Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian demonstrators took to the streets Saturday To protest Israeli military attacks in the Middle East.
montreal
Montreal Deputy Police Chief Vincent Richer told reporters last Friday He is in contact with the city’s Jewish and Arab-Muslim communities, and Montreal police said they will focus on places of worship.
mcgill university Access to campus is restricted between Saturday and Monday in anticipation of heightened tensions. Students at McGill University and other higher education institutions across North America have set up camps and are demanding that their schools sever ties with Israel.
On Monday, Jewish groups will hold a vigil outside campus from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Around the same time, a pro-Palestinian group marches from Concordia University to McGill University’s Roddick Gates.
“I think our demands on our university are very clear,” Hanan Zakari, a member of McGill Students for Palestine Honor and Resistance, told CTV News Montreal. “By closing the campus, McGill University is insisting on sending in private mercenaries, as it has been doing to students over the summer, and arguing that the university itself is creating a campus of fear. .”
More than 340 protests related to the Israel-Hamas war have taken place in Montreal since October last year, with police making more than 100 arrests and dozens charged with hate crimes.
“We want people to feel safe in Montreal,” Richer said.
Toronto and the rest of the GTA
Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw told reporters. At a press conference last Wednesday The ministry will beef up its presence on Monday, deploying three mobile command units in three Jewish-majority neighborhoods along Bathurst Avenue and a fourth task force at various mosques in Toronto. That’s what it means.
“As tensions rise around the world and we approach the first anniversary of October 7th, we know that world events always have an impact here at home, including protests and acts of violence. This includes the possibility of an increase,” Demkiw said.
“Toronto Police will continue to be a visible and reassuring presence for as long as necessary.”
Demkiw said 350 hate-motivated crimes have been reported to Toronto police since the beginning of 2024, marking a 40 per cent spike compared to the same period last year.
north of toronto, york regional police Monday saw increased awareness across the region. One mobile force will move throughout York Region until 8 October, and one fixed force will be established at Thornhill.
Police said: “We do not tolerate any form of hate crime or threats of violence against anyone. All hate/bias incidents will be thoroughly investigated.”
Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca said the increased presence would go a long way toward “alleviating some of the anxiety and anxiety” the Jewish community has felt over the past 12 months.
calgary
Calgary police said they have not identified any specific threats to the city’s Jewish or Muslim communities, but increased patrols and presence over the weekend and will continue patrols on Monday.
“As we approach one year since the events of October 7, tensions in the Middle East remain high and the effects are still being felt here in Calgary,” Calgary Police said. stated in a statement. “We are working with our partners to monitor the situation at a local, national and international level and will continue to work with the community to ensure everyone’s safety.”
Members of Calgary’s Jewish community gather at City Hall on sunday They waved Israeli flags and recited Kaddish, the Jewish prayer to remember the dead, in memory of those killed in the Oct. 7 attack.
Across the street, pro-Palestinian demonstrators called for a ceasefire.
vancouver
The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) announced that it has committed additional personnel to prepare for multiple protests scheduled for October 7th.
“There is a noticeable police presence throughout the city.” VPD Chief Adam Palmer said.. “We will also be working behind the scenes with invisible officials to assess and reassess potential risks.”
Palmer also said there has been “violence, hostility and assaults against police officers and the public” at protests in Vancouver since the Oct. 7 attack. He said VPD has installed additional cameras at Jewish places of worship and deployed a mobile command center at Vancouver’s Jewish Community Center.