A federal judge has issued a rare court order temporarily blocking public access to an anti-Israel website, following a complaint by Indigo Books & Music Inc. Blacklock's Reporetr says the order, granted by Justice Janet Fuhrer, comes in response to a protest website that falsely accused Indigo of complicity in war crimes against Palestinians.The website, named "Indigo Kills Kids," was designed to imitate Indigo’s official branding and logo, misleadingly targeting the bookseller and its CEO Heather Reisman, a Jewish philanthropist with ties to Israeli charities. Indigo argued the website’s content was defamatory and amounted to copyright infringement.“The defendants are anonymous and have made efforts to remain that way and avoid liability or responsibility,” wrote Fuhrer in her ruling, noting that the interim domain blocking order was “necessary and proportional” given the harm to Indigo’s reputation and the risks posed by the website.Indigo had requested the order to block access to the site, citing defamation, trademark violations, and malicious intent. The website accused Indigo of "aiding in the slaughter of Palestinians" and encouraged a boycott of the retailer. Protesters behind the site have remained anonymous, registering it through an offshore corporation and hosting it via a company in Iceland known for protecting the anonymity of website owners.“The defendants intentionally have attempted to attract the plaintiff’s consumers to their own website for notoriety,” wrote Fuhrer, adding that the blocking order would remain in effect until a full hearing on the case could take place.Telecom giants including Rogers, Bell, Telus, and Videotron have either agreed to block access to the site or taken no position on Indigo’s request. Fuhrer emphasized that the decision does not infringe on freedom of expression or net neutrality, noting that it aims to prevent access to harmful and infringing content in situations where the culprits cannot be easily identified.Indigo lawyers described the website as a deliberate attempt to slander the company and violate intellectual property rights. They have asked the court for compensation on “the highest possible scale” due to the alleged malicious nature of the content.The website claimed that Indigo has been the target of boycott calls by the Palestinian solidarity movement since 2006, alleging the company was complicit in "Israel’s genocide in Gaza." Indigo’s legal team denounced the allegations, saying they were part of a broader campaign to harm the company’s reputation and business.The court order is temporary and will remain in place until the merits of Indigo’s case are fully heard in a future hearing.
