A man was arrested at the Walk with Israel in Toronto on Sunday for allegedly “yelling anti-Semitic slurs at attendees.”
The Toronto Police Service charged Tarek Ibrahem, 57, with mischief interference with property and causing a disturbance on Sunday afternoon, according to a
The case is being led by the city’s Hate Crime Unit.
“Wilful promotion of hatred and advocating genocide are hate propaganda (hate speech) offences which require the Attorney General’s consent to lay charges. These charges are often laid at a later time,” police said. “If a person is charged and convicted of the offence, the Judge will take into consideration hate as an aggravating factor when imposing a sentence.”
The
held in a predominantly Jewish neighbourhood in northern Toronto drew over 50,000 participants, many carrying Israeli and Canadian flags. The largest crowd of anti-Israel protesters was stationed at the intersection of Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue, a block shy of the walk’s endpoint at the Prosserman Jewish Community Centre (JCC). Ibrahem was arrested just south of the intersection at York Downs Drive.
Toronto police spokeswoman Stephanie Sayer told National Post in an email on Monday morning that police cannot comment on the matter because it “is now before the courts.”
“We investigate every reported instance of hate, including those that occur at demonstrations. As we’ve shown in the past, charges can be laid at any time – days or even weeks after an incident – as evidence is gathered. We remain committed to holding individuals accountable,” Sayer said in a statement.
Ibrahem is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice on July 9.
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