Canadian leaders, demonstrators hold events on anniversary of Oct. 7 attack

Ceremonies, events and protests are being held across Canada today to mark the anniversary of a Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the ongoing war in Gaza.

The Oct. 7, 2023 attack killed more than 1,200 Israelis, while another 250 were abducted and held as hostages, triggering an Israeli counter-offensive in Gaza that the health ministry there says has left more than 41,000 dead.

The war has had far-reaching effects around the world and in Canada, including families grieving loved ones who were killed, hundreds of protests resulting in arrests, pro-Palestinian encampments at universities and a spike in reports of hate crimes against Jews and Muslims.

On the one-year anniversary, police in Canada’s largest cities are stepping up protections, particularly around Jewish and Muslim places of worship and at events being held to commemorate Oct. 7.

A Toronto police van was parked out front of a Hebrew day school along Bathurst Street in one of the city’s most recognizably Jewish neighbourhoods. On the corner, a large poster called for the return of hostages.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau marked the grim anniversary in a statement, saying his thoughts are with all Israelis and Jewish people, and with the Jewish community in Canada.

Trudeau condemned Hamas and said his government remains committed to working towards a two-state solution, “where Israelis and Palestinians can live securely within internationally recognized borders.”

“Hamas has set the region down a path of war and violence. We mourn the Canadians and all civilians killed in the year that followed. We condemn Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, whose senseless attacks lead to more death and instability.

“The scale of civilian casualties since Oct. 7 is heartbreaking and unacceptable, and all actors must comply with international law. The suffering must end, and we must return to the path toward lasting peace and security for Israelis, Palestinians, Lebanese, and others across the region.”

In Ontario, Premier Doug Ford expressed condolences for those whose loved ones were killed or taken hostage in the Oct. 7 attack, and vowed to combat antisemitism and hate in the province.

“We will continue to stand up against hate wherever it is found and work to foster understanding, unity and respect in our province and communities,” he said in a statement.

Jewish groups across the country are holding events in cities including Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver to mourn the victims of the attack and call for the return of hostages.

Meanwhile, several protests are also planned to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, including one in Montreal, billed as supporting Palestinians’ fight for “total liberation.”

“This upcoming Monday, we will take over the streets of Montreal in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Palestine,” said the group Montreal4Palestine in an Instagram post advertising the event.

“We will renew our support to the resistance and continue to support the fight for freedom by any means necessary.”

Meanwhile, the groups that organized a months-long encampment on McGill University’s downtown campus last spring and summer are planning a walkout and march from Concordia University to McGill on Monday afternoon.

The group has been calling for McGill to end its investments in companies tied to the Israeli military and cut ties with Israeli institutions.

A vigil organized by Jewish groups is also planned Monday afternoon at the main gates of McGill’s downtown campus.

McGill is restricting access to its campuses on Monday, and many classes will be held online.

A Quebec Superior Court judge has also granted a temporary injunction against some of the groups, ordering them not to block access to Concordia or to disrupt any classes.

Montreal police and other law enforcement agencies across Canada have said they are increasing their presence ahead of Oct. 7.

Vancouver Police Chief Const. Adam Palmer says planned and unplanned protests across the city are posing a “significant” risk of disorder, and officers trained specifically for large-scale events are being deployed.

Pro-Palestinian group Samidoun, which is referring to the Oct. 7 attacks as “Al-Aqsa Flood,” the Hamas code name for the operation, is planning a rally in Vancouver.

Toronto police say there have been more than 1,500 demonstrations across the city since last October, with 72 protest-related arrests, and to date there have been 350 reports of hate crimes this year, which the chief says is a 40 per cent increase from last year. Alleged hate crimes against the city’s Jewish residents have surged 69 per cent, he added.

Rallies and protests were held around the world in the weekend leading up to Oct. 7, including massive events in European cities and marches and vigils in Canada.

While in Paris on Saturday for a Francophonie summit, Trudeau reiterated calls for a ceasefire in the Middle East.

Israel has also recently been going after multiple Hezbollah targets in suburban Beirut in Lebanon and began a ground incursion. An airstrike hit a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon as Israel targeted both Hezbollah and Hamas fighters.

Iran, which helps arm and finance both Hamas and Hezbollah, launched at least 180 ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7, 2024.