Toronto café singled out for special treatment

Pro-Palestinian sentiment has been high in cities across Canada since October 7th. In Toronto, the country's largest metropolis and home of its largest Jewish population, pro-Israel demonstrations have been outnumbered by anti-Zionist and antisemitic rallies that have taken place daily on university campuses and in public spaces across the Greater Toronto Area.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through downtown Toronto toward the Israeli consulate in Toronto on October 9th. The following evening saw thousands of demonstrators gathered for a pro-Palestinian rally in Toronto’s downtown core. Neighboring Mississauga has also seen rallies at which protesters condemned Israeli actions in Gaza.

On Friday, as four pro-Palestine rallies were held in Toronto, students at the Toronto Metropolitan University Lincoln Alexander School of Law published a statement — which was signed by more than 75 TMU law students before the post was taken down — denying Israel’s right to exist and condoning terrorism. B'nai Brith Canada has asked the university to expel the students who signed onto theletter. University faculty members, who immediately asked the university to condemn the statement, have been waiting since the open letter was published for a response.

On Saturday, Toronto4Palestine demonstrators swarmed outside the Cafe Landwer, and demanded it be boycotted. The restaurant, which was targeted because it is Jewish owned, has ties to individuals forced to flee Berlin in 1933 due to "the rise to power of the Nazi regime.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and other public officials have condemned the restaurant incident.