Rebel News boss Ezra Levant was arrested while filming antisemitic protesters glorifying a terrorist leader in a residential Jewish neighbourhood in Toronto on Sunday. Levant, who is Jewish, was arrested for “causing a disturbance.” He was handcuffed, searched and kept in jail for about two hours re spending about two hours in jail. The incident made international headlines, including Fox News and the Times of Israel..“I wasn’t causing a disturbance — I was standing by myself on a public sidewalk, silently filming a grotesque pro-Hamas mannequin in a Jewish neighbourhood — a reenactment of Hamas leader Yayha Sinwar,” Levant posted on social media afterwards.“It would be like someone reenacting Hitler — and police were stopping me from filming it.”.Toronto Police Service (TPS) officer Jeffery MacDuff directed the Jewish journalist to get off the sidewalk and move to a designated “free speech zone” some distance away or face arrest, said Levant.“I told him Canada was my free speech zone, I was a citizen and taxpayer, and I would not get off the sidewalk,” said Levant..Video footage shows police confronting Levant amid a swarm of pro-Hamas agitators waving Palestinian flags. TPS officers demand Levant leave, to which he responds, “I’m not leaving.”They ask him why, and he responds: “Because I’m a Jew, I’m a citizen and I’m your boss.”“And I don’t leave because you say Jews aren’t allowed on the street.”“In the interest of public safety, you’re under arrest for breaching the peace,” said MacDuff, as protestors cheer in the background..Toronto wasn't the only Canadian city to experience antisemetic havoc over the weekend. Pro-Palestine riots ripped through Montreal on Friday, with anti-NATO Hamas supporters breaking windows and setting buildings and cars on fire. Violent acts in Montreal include smoke bombs and metal barriers used as projectiles.World leaders are gathered in Montreal this week for a NATO summit, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressing the organization Monday morning. While the protests transpired, Trudeau was enjoying himself at a Taylor Swift concert in Toronto, exchanging friendship bracelets with teenage girls..Montreal Police Chief Chief Fady Dagher on Saturday said about 800 protestors took park, with 20 to 40 of them engaged in violent criminal behaviour.Dagher said violence includes alleged assaults on police officers — and police have isentified the suspects. He confirmed multiple arrests have been laid so far, and to expect more to come, according to the Canadian Press.."I do not want to advertise these groups and glorify these groups, it is a big trap to do so," said Dagher."But I can assure to you … it is a few groups.""Despite what you saw in the images, last-minute impromptu events are extremely difficult to anticipate. We have other pieces of evidence. So probably we will have other arrests."
Rebel News boss Ezra Levant was arrested while filming antisemitic protesters glorifying a terrorist leader in a residential Jewish neighbourhood in Toronto on Sunday. Levant, who is Jewish, was arrested for “causing a disturbance.” He was handcuffed, searched and kept in jail for about two hours re spending about two hours in jail. The incident made international headlines, including Fox News and the Times of Israel..“I wasn’t causing a disturbance — I was standing by myself on a public sidewalk, silently filming a grotesque pro-Hamas mannequin in a Jewish neighbourhood — a reenactment of Hamas leader Yayha Sinwar,” Levant posted on social media afterwards.“It would be like someone reenacting Hitler — and police were stopping me from filming it.”.Toronto Police Service (TPS) officer Jeffery MacDuff directed the Jewish journalist to get off the sidewalk and move to a designated “free speech zone” some distance away or face arrest, said Levant.“I told him Canada was my free speech zone, I was a citizen and taxpayer, and I would not get off the sidewalk,” said Levant..Video footage shows police confronting Levant amid a swarm of pro-Hamas agitators waving Palestinian flags. TPS officers demand Levant leave, to which he responds, “I’m not leaving.”They ask him why, and he responds: “Because I’m a Jew, I’m a citizen and I’m your boss.”“And I don’t leave because you say Jews aren’t allowed on the street.”“In the interest of public safety, you’re under arrest for breaching the peace,” said MacDuff, as protestors cheer in the background..Toronto wasn't the only Canadian city to experience antisemetic havoc over the weekend. Pro-Palestine riots ripped through Montreal on Friday, with anti-NATO Hamas supporters breaking windows and setting buildings and cars on fire. Violent acts in Montreal include smoke bombs and metal barriers used as projectiles.World leaders are gathered in Montreal this week for a NATO summit, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressing the organization Monday morning. While the protests transpired, Trudeau was enjoying himself at a Taylor Swift concert in Toronto, exchanging friendship bracelets with teenage girls..Montreal Police Chief Chief Fady Dagher on Saturday said about 800 protestors took park, with 20 to 40 of them engaged in violent criminal behaviour.Dagher said violence includes alleged assaults on police officers — and police have isentified the suspects. He confirmed multiple arrests have been laid so far, and to expect more to come, according to the Canadian Press.."I do not want to advertise these groups and glorify these groups, it is a big trap to do so," said Dagher."But I can assure to you … it is a few groups.""Despite what you saw in the images, last-minute impromptu events are extremely difficult to anticipate. We have other pieces of evidence. So probably we will have other arrests."
