On March 30th, 2024, a peaceful march commemorating the 48th anniversary of Land Day quickly turned violent at the hands of the Toronto Police Service (TPS). This latest episode continues the attempts to suppress weekly demonstrations against the complicity of the Canadian state in war crimes and violations of international law in Palestine. 

TPS abruptly stopped the demonstration at the intersection of Parliament Street and Gerrard Street East. They responded to this peaceful demonstration with excessive force, significant police presence (including mounted officers), “kettling” of crowds, and violent behaviour. At least four community members required hospitalization, and many others suffered injuries, including potential concussions. Kettling is widely criticized for its indiscriminate containment, echoing the events of the G20 summit in its violence against protestors.

We condemn the escalating police brutality in response to these demonstrations. A display of force of the type seen on Saturday cannot be allowed to happen again, let alone occur with impunity. We are also mindful of the fact that this violence occurred in a racialized neighbourhood, against a diverse group of community members standing in solidarity with Palestine. Insult is added to these injuries when the TPS selectively responds with such force against marginalized and equity-seeking groups, eroding any basis for public trust. 

We call on Mayor Olivia Chow to stand by her stated commitments to social justice and community empowerment,and demand accountability from the TPS. Mayor Olivia Chow must take personal accountability for the harmful rhetoric she has used concerning these protests (falsely claiming that these rallies support Hamas and glorify violence, target businesses for being Jewish, and more). These misrepresentations have only inflamed public opinion and create tensions leading to this violence. For Mayor Chow to follow through on stated values or give meaning to apologies, she must couple rhetoric with actions. State actors – whether politicians or police – must maintain respect for the Charter rights of Canadians, including rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. 

The goals of these demonstrations remain clear: 

1. Enforce an immediate arms embargo on all current and future contracts with Israel. This includes suspending any open permits that have not been paused, closing applications for any new permits, and ensuring all military goods and technology subject to Canadian permit rules(including “non-lethal” goods are included.  

2. Officially recognize the State of Palestine and demand an immediate ceasefire. 

Our elected officials must respond to our democratic voices, and state actors must respect human rights. We will continue to exercise our fundamental rights and freedoms to ensure they do.