Photo credit: Toronto Star
The Al-Quds Day rally went ahead in downtown Toronto on Saturday after a judge dismissed the Ontario government’s request for an injunction to prevent ot from proceeding as planned.
CTV News reports that the decision came hours after the Ford government filed an application seeking to block the annual rally, which began at 3 pm near the US Consulate on University Avenue, near Armoury Street.
“The application for an interim interlocutory injunction is dismissed,” Superior Court Justice Robert Centa said just after 2 pm on Saturday.
“I am not satisfied that the Attorney General of Ontario has met the test for an injunction to prevent all persons from engaging in the Al Quds Day protest.”
Stephen Ellis, the legal counsel for the Al Quds Committee, which is one of the rally’s orrganizers, said they are “very excited” by the outcome of today’s injunction, adding they were “confident that it wasn’t going to succeed.”
Elliis said there’s never been any hate speech or violence at the rally, and they’d address it should that occur.
Ford, meanwhile, has responded to the judge’s decision in a social media post.
“I am extremely disappointed that the court has refused to put a stop to Al-Quds Day, which has long been a venue for antisemitism, hatred, intimidation and the glorification of terrorism,” the Premier wrote.
“While the judge cited Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, when we talk about rights, we need to be clear that every person has the right to safety and security. We need to be clear that no one in Canada has the right to incite violence or free licence to intimidate and hate.”
Saturday’s rally and an accompanying counter-demonstration saw some tense moments, and there was a heavy police presence.
