Trudeau condemns ‘glorification of violence’ in protests after Hamas attacked Israel.

Canadian authorities, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, denounced nationwide protests by individuals they claimed were celebrating violence by backing Hamas’ attack on Israel.

Trudeau said on X, previously known as Twitter, “I strongly condemn the demonstrations that have taken place, and are taking place, across the country in support of Hamas’ attacks on Israel.”

“The glorification of violence is never acceptable in Canada,” he stated.

Late on Monday, Trudeau joined a demonstration in support of Israel and spoke out against the attack by Hamas. Canadian political figures from all political parties have backed Israel.

His administration failed to answer when asked if he distinguished between protestors who supported the Palestinian cause and those who supported Hamas.

Through Monday, many organizations held dueling protests and rallies across Canada, including one in Toronto that drew over 1,000 protestors and was sponsored by the Palestinian Youth Movement.

The rallies in the city, according to Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, were illegal. Chow said: “The government of Canada has rightly listed Hamas as a terrorist organization.”

Deputy Chief Lauren Pouge of the Toronto police said that authorities acknowledged the right to free expression despite opposing hate speech and speech that glorifies violence.

In addition, Doug Ford, the leader of the Canadian province of Ontario, stated that “hate rallies celebrating the kidnapping and slaughter of innocent Israeli people by terrorists are reprehensible and disgusting.”

On Saturday, Hamas unexpectedly attacked Israel, murdering hundreds of Israelis and taking dozens more captives. Israeli TV stations reported that 900 people had died and 2,600 had been wounded due to the Hamas strike.

Israel then bombarded Palestinians in Gaza with airstrikes. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israeli airstrikes on the blockaded region have killed at least 687 Palestinians and injured 3,726 others since Saturday.

Palestinian-Canadian Mona Ayesh, 46, who was present at the demonstration in Toronto, denounced Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and pointed out that Gazans have been subject to an Israeli-led siege for 16 years, ever since Hamas took over the region in 2007.
“The illegal Israeli occupation has to end for this violence that happened to end,” she told Reuters.