Toronto police are banning protests on the Avenue Road bridge over Highway 401 after demonstrations related to the Israel-Hamas war have recently escalated in the area.
On Thursday afternoon, Chief Myron Demkiw told the Toronto Police Service Board that “demonstrations or the congregation of individuals on the Avenue Road overpass will not be permitted.”
“People can expect to be arrested if necessary,” Chief Demkiw added.
Over the past few weeks, pro-Palestine demonstrators have been seen at the overpass, which is close to a large Jewish community. The protests have sometimes drawn counter-protsts from pro-Israel demonstrators.
Demkiw added that Toronto police officers have managed 308 demonstrations since the war in the Middle East began on Oct. 7, “exponentially more than any other city in Canada,” he said.
“Hate and intimidation can have no space in our city and we have been unwavering in our commitment to restore the sense of public safety, and not tolerate behavior that crosses the line to criminal activity,” Demkiw said.
2023 HATE CRIME STATS
At the board meeting, Demkiw also outlined the number of hate crimes reported in Toronto in 2023.
Police averaged 47 hate crime related calls for service each month, according to Demkiw. From October to December, that average increased to 190 hate crime-related calls each month.
“In 2023, the number of reported hate crime occurrences increased by 42 per cent compared to 2022, with 353 reported in 2023 and 248 reported in 2022. In good news, there was a 48 per cent decrease in reported hate crimes in December 2023 (10 reported) compared to November 2023 (48 reported),” police said in a statement.
Antisemitism continues to account for more reported hate crimes than other categories, making up 37 per cent of all hate crimes reported last year. There were 132 antisemitic hate crimes reported in 2023, compared to 65 in 2022. Meanwhile, there were 35 anti-Muslim/Palestinian/Arab hate crimes reported in 2023, compared to 12 in 2022.
“Also troubling is the 65 per cent increase in LGBTQ2S+ hate crimes reported in 2023, the second highest category – there were 66 reported in 2023 compared to 40 in 2022,” police said in the report.
Between the start of the war on Oct. 7, 2023 and Jan. 10, 2024, there have been 54 arrests and 117 charges laid related to hate crime occurrences, police said. The most common charges were related to mischief, followed by assault and uttering threats.
So far in 2024, there have been three reported hate crimes in the city, with two antisemitic incidents and one targeting 2SLGBTQ+ communities. Police said they have also received 145 web submissions so far from people using the hate graffiti web form.
Demkiw added that police recently arrested a Toronto man after a large demonstration last Sunday.
On Jan. 7, Maged Sameh Hilal Al Khalaf, 41, allegedly marched in the area of Queen and Bay streets waiving a flag of an organization listed as a terrorist group by Public Safety Canada.
Al Khalaf has since been arrested and charged with Public Incitement of Hatred, and he’s set to appear in a Toronto court on Feb. 23.
