Groups supporting the Palestinian cause are claiming that Toronto Police officers are enforcing rules selectively at planned protests. This comes after seven people were arrested and at least three were charged during a demonstration on Saturday.
The Toronto Police Service released a statement saying that its officers were managing the crowd at a demonstration in the Gerrard Street and Parliament Street area, which led to the arrest and charging of multiple individuals.
A man who was reportedly seen driving a truck with people in the vehicle bed during the protest has been charged with stunt driving and has had his license suspended for 30 days.
According to the police, while officers were confiscating the man’s truck, the crowd became aggressive and a 24-year-old woman threw horse manure at the officers.
Investigators report that she was later charged with assault, along with a 27-year-old woman who allegedly used a flagpole to attack an officer.
Additionally, police say they arrested four males at the demonstration, but three of them were later released without conditions. One of them was wanted after the demonstration for an unrelated matter and has since been turned over to provincial police.
Police did not provide details on why the males were arrested and then released, but stated in their statement that releasing someone does not mean they cannot be charged at a later date and their investigation is still active.
A news release from the demonstrators alleges that police followed the protest for three hours before hundreds of officers with riot gear and on horses arrived on Saturday and barricaded their movement, immediately escalating their “brutality against pro-Palestinian demonstrators.”
Gur Tsabar, spokesperson for Jews Say No to Genocide, mentioned in the news release that police were making selective use of the “obscure” Highway Traffic Act as a pretext for arresting demonstrators. The statement said protesters have been “in the beds of trucks moving at the speed of parade floats” several times while in police presence during the many pro-Palestinian protests that have taken place since the Israel-Hamas war started on Oct. 7.
Tsabar stated, “After five solid months of chanting week after week from the beds of very-slow-moving trucks and their attached trailers, Toronto police suddenly became ‘very concerned’ for our road safety.”
He added, “Truly — kudos to the Toronto Police for following orders so diligently and digging up an obscure Highway Traffic Act in a last-ditch effort to shut down our Charter-protected right to protest.”
However, the police responded in their statement that they have cautioned demonstration organizers and drivers specifically about not having people riding in truck beds or on attached trailers while in motion, adding that the rules are outlined in the Highway Traffic Act.
The statement said, “Police have been clear that this stipulation will be in effect at all demonstrations.”
The statement continued, “Toronto Police continue to attend demonstrations, and to preserve people’s right to protest while also enforcing the law.”
