Political leaders are condemning what they describe as “hateful rhetoric” from a speaker at a pro-Palestinian rally in Vancouver who told the crowd that “we are Hezbollah and we are Hamas.”
Both groups are listed by Public Safety Canada as terrorist entities.
In videos circulated online, an unidentified masked woman led a crowd of hundreds at the Vancouver Art Gallery Monday night in chants of “death to Canada, death to the United States and death to Israel,” while some in the group burned Canadian flags.
The protest was organized by the pro-Palestinian group Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, and held on the anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people while triggering an Israeli counteroffensive that has left about 41,000 dead in Gaza.
CBC News has not independently verified the videos posted online of the Vancouver rally, but a CBC journalist who passed by the rally said they clearly heard a speaker chant, “death to Canada, death to the United States.”
The comments at the protest drew universal condemnation among federal and provincial politicians, with the federal Conservative Party vowing to add Samidoun to the terrorist entities list if it forms the next Canadian government.
“While Jewish Canadians live in fear, terror groups like Samidoun are free to fundraise and support organizations like Hamas and the [Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine] who seek to kill innocent Jews,” federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said in a statement.
“We’ve seen what happens when these groups aren’t taken seriously.”
File under cowards, who play politics for votes. <br><br>Samidoun is a front for an already banned terrorist group in this country —they should have the courage to ban them today. <br><br>They took 6 years to ban the IRGC. <br>They are radicals. <a href=”https://t.co/tbcHFStYnE”>pic.twitter.com/tbcHFStYnE</a>
—@MelissaLantsman
During question period in Parliament Tuesday, Conservative members repeatedly demanded that Samidoun be added to the terrorist list.
“If they took action, they would have listed them already,” said Thornhill Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman.
“So, if burning a Canadian flag, if calling for the death of Canadians, if fomenting hate in this country, and most of all being a front for an already-listed terrorist organization is not enough to put them on the list, then what the hell is it going to take for them to ban them?”
Jennifer O’Connell, parliamentary secretary to the public safety minister, said the government would not follow the Conservatives and “play politics” with the issue.
“When it comes to listing of terrorist entities, the members opposite know full well it is not a political decision,” O’Connell said. “It is based on the national security services of this country.
“But it’s precisely why the minister had already sent it for an urgent review, understanding that this hate is unacceptable in Canada.”
On social media platform X, British Columbia NDP Leader David Eby responded to a post describing the speech, saying “this kind of hateful rhetoric is wrong and has no place in our province.”
Eby said in his social media post that the province’s people “stand together against violence — and the glorification of it. And we strive for peace.”
A video of Vancouver protesters burning a Canadian flag added to tensions on Parliament Hill as Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre blamed the government for a rise in antisemitism and was silenced in the House for accusing Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly of pandering to Hamas supporters.
B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad said in a statement that the behaviour is “completely unacceptable.”
Rustad, whose provincial Conservatives are in a contest with Eby’s NDP in the upcoming B.C. election on Oct. 19, said in his video statement that his party would “crack down on this type of hate” if elected.
The fundamental freedom of expression is guaranteed to everyone in Canada under Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Vancouver Police Department defends everyone’s democratic right to lawfully assemble and to express themselves. We have a responsibility… <a href=”https://t.co/821odgzCnx”>pic.twitter.com/821odgzCnx</a>
—@VancouverPD
In a statement, the Vancouver Police Department said it is looking into whether actions at the protest represent criminal offences.
Police say they heard from community members and others who were “deeply offended” by acts at the rally.
They had told CBC News in a Tuesday morning email that there were no major public safety incidents and no arrests made.
Director previously arrested
Samidoun director Charlotte Kates was arrested by Vancouver police last year in a hate-crime investigation, then released on an undertaking to appear in court on Tuesday, but no appearance has been scheduled.
Kates was arrested after praising the Oct. 7 attack as “heroic and brave” in a speech at a rally.
She is the international co-ordinator of Samidoun — an organization that fights to raise awareness about Palestinian prisoners.
The B.C. Prosecution Service said the charge assessment process was ongoing and no timeline for its completion was available.