Anti-Israel Oct. 7 event to ‘honour martyrs’ will not proceed on U of T campus: university

An anti-Israel event intended to “honour martyrs” at the University of Toronto on Oct. 7 will no longer be permitted.

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A spokesperson for the university told National Post that it has told the recognized student groups involved in organizing the event — one of several planned on Canadian campuses — that it “cannot proceed because of significant safety and operational concerns.”

“These concerns include physical safety risks to participants and to members of the broader university community due to the unsuitability of the space for large gatherings and the online promotion of counter-protests to take place at the same time,” the spokesperson said.

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Oct. 7 marks the third anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack in which 1,200 Israelis were murdered. It was the deadliest attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust. Canadian leaders and Jewish advocacy groups called on U of T and other universities to shut down anti-Israel Oct. 7 events.

“On some Canadian campuses, the third anniversary of October 7 will be marked by protests glorifying the heinous attacks, honouring the terrorists as ‘martyrs’ and calling for intifada — which many of Canada’s allies consider incitement to violence against Jews,” the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said in a statement shared with National Post.

“This glorification of violence and terrorism has no place on campuses and administrations have a responsibility to ensure safe places for learning free from hate, particularly when such events are organized or supported by student groups and unions.”

Dr. David Jacobs, part of U of T’s governing council and president of the Ontario Association of Radiologists, posted his concern about the now-cancelled event on X.

“Choosing October 7th as a date for ‘honouring our martyrs’ isn’t random. It’s purposefully provocative,” he wrote.

Radio host Ben Mulroney said in a post on X that the U of T event was “f—ing disgusting.”

The U of T event was expected to take place at 5:30 p.m. at the steps of Sidney Smith Hall, located at the university’s St. George campus. The university will “act swiftly to enforce its policies should it become aware of potential violations,” said the U of T spokesperson.

Other events are still planned across Canada, including a “gathering” at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and a rally at McGill University in Montreal.

A UBC spokesperson told National Post it was aware of a “range of activities on the Vancouver campus” being hosted by “Jewish and Palestinian student groups” on Oct. 7. None of them are “official” UBC events.

“UBC is committed to free inquiry, the free exchange of ideas and opinion, and the ability of all members of our community to engage in peaceful expression,” the spokesperson said. “We expect everyone exercising these freedoms to do so respectfully and within the boundaries of university policy and the law. Hate and intolerance have no place at UBC.”

An Oct. 7 rally is set for 2 p.m. at McGill’s Roddick Gates.

A McGill spokesperson said the university “denounces all forms of antisemitism and anti-Jewish hatred and reaffirms its dedication to preventing and combating such discrimination.”

“Every member of our campus community deserves to work and learn in a respectful, inclusive, and supportive environment,” said the spokesperson. “At the same time, McGill is committed to freedom of expression and has no issue with lawful activism and protest that ensure campus access remains unobstructed and academic activities continue without disruption.”

The concern from the Jewish community about the safety of such events stems largely from recent antisemitic incidents, including a hate-motivated, targeted shooting at a Belleville, Ont. synagogue and the arrest of two individuals in Ontario for making antisemitic threats online.

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