The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) is currently investigating allegations of hate speech used during a pro-Palestinian rally on Parliament Hill over the weekend. The OPS’s hate and bias crime unit has launched an investigation following complaints about a demonstration related to the Gaza Strip that took place on Saturday afternoon.
While specific details about the allegations have not been disclosed by the police, videos posted on social media show hundreds of demonstrators gathered in front of Parliament Hill. During the rally, a demonstrator leading the crowd in chants can be heard saying, “October seventh is proof that we are almost free,” and “long live October seventh, long live the resistance.”
Federal leaders have condemned the statements made at the rally, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling the rhetoric antisemitic and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre denouncing the chants as “pro-genocide” and antisemitic. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh also condemned the hateful rhetoric, stating that hate, antisemitism, and inciting violence are never acceptable.
Although police were present at the rally, no arrests or charges have been reported. Chief Eric Stubbs of the OPS stated that the police have a zero-tolerance policy for hate-motivated incidents but did not confirm whether the rhetoric heard at the rally was antisemitic. The OPS is consulting with Crown council to determine the appropriate charges based on the language used during the demonstration.
The organizers of a separate demonstration on Parliament Hill, Médecins du Québec, have distanced themselves from the statements made at the rally, stating that the comments in question were made by individuals from another group organizing a separate demonstration at the same time. The OPS continues to investigate the matter to ensure that proper charges are laid in accordance with federal legislation on hate speech.