Canadian Jewish groups seek to extend injunction against Montreal protesters

MARCH 14, 2024 14:22

Protesters hold Palestinian flags during a rally to call for a ceasefire, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Gaza, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada March 9, 2024. (photo credit: REUTERS/Ismail Shakil) — Protesters hold Palestinian flags during a rally to call for a ceasefire, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Gaza, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada March 9, 2024.

(photo credit: REUTERS/Ismail Shakil)

In their statement, Jewish organizations said that they would "continue to explore every available avenue to ensure the safety and security of the Jewish community."

After a week of protest at synagogues and Jewish community centers in Montreal, Canadian Jewish groups will on Friday seek to extend an injunction against demonstrators requiring them to remain 50 meters away from Jewish institutions.

Federation Combined Jewish Appeal and The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said in a joint statement on Tuesday that anti-Israel protests across the country had grown increasingly aggressive, "stoking fear in the hearts of Canadian Jews," and would be requesting from the Montreal Court the renewal of an injunction issued last Wednesday.

Jewish groups speak out

"We will continue to explore every available avenue to ensure the safety and security of the Jewish community," said CIJA and CJA.

Samantha Malcar, a tourist from Canada, walks with an Israeli flag as she visits the site of the Nova festival, where people were killed and kidnapped during the October 7 attack by Hamas gunmen from Gaza, in Reim, southern Israel, January 25, 2024. (credit: ALEXANDRE MENEGHINI/REUTERS)

Last Monday, protesters gathered outside the Jewish Community Foundation and Montreal Holocaust Museum, where IDF reservists spoke about their experiences. The rally saw protesters raising Nazi salutes and calling for "death to Israel, death to the Jews."

The following day a protest was held against an Israeli real estate exposition at the Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue of Montreal, in which Jews were called "fake Jews," told they had no home country, and accused of trying to "oppress and colonize South Africa and Germany."