Montreal police work to maintain peace in city amid Israel-Gaza war

Since the start of the Israel-Gaza war in October, Montreal police have been beefing up relations with Jewish and Muslim communities as part of a series of measures aimed at maintaining peace.

The surprise attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7 launched by Hamas, killing about 1,200 Israelis and taking 253 hostages, and Israel's subsequent Gaza Strip invasion that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, has led to a spike in hate crimes reported in Montreal.

"Hate crimes are unacceptable and the SPVM takes them very seriously," said Insp. David Shane, a spokesperson for the Service de police de la ville de Montréal (SPVM).

Shane was speaking during a news conference on Monday, updating the public on the SPVM's ongoing effort to "ensure the safety of all."

To date, 146 hate crimes and 104 hate incidents have been recorded by the SPVM since the start of the war, he said, and 31 files have been submitted to the Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales (DPCP). 

Montreal police have, since Oct. 7, supervised more than 250 demonstrations, almost all of which took place in an orderly fashion, Shane said. He said the SPVM is in close contact with representatives of the Jewish and Muslim communities.

Meetings are held regularly to exchange views and adapt actions accordingly, he said.

When it comes to the pro-Palestinian encampment at McGill University, he said it will ultimately be up to the Quebec Superior Court to decide what to do next as the school is making an injunction request.

Police investigating controversial photo

Police officers are keeping a close eye on developments to ensure the protection and safety of all concerned, Shane said, and the SPVM has intervened and will continue to intervene if situations require it.

He cited the police's response on June 6 as an example, noting arrests were made after demonstrators illegally occupied a university building.

Shane said the SPVM is investigating a controversial photo that was published to Instagram by one of the organizations involved with the encampment that depicted armed Palestinian fighters.

The group, Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) was advertising a "revolutionary youth summer program" at the McGill encampment that began Monday. SPHR said the program includes workshops, classes and discussions.

"We understand the fears this publication may arouse," said Shane. "We are investigating the matter and have been in contact with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police."

Shane said anyone who feels threatened or harassed should call the police, or if they want to make an anonymous report, they can do so through Info-Crime Montréal.

Protest calls for action from mayor

Shane's news conference happened shortly after hundreds gathered in front of Montreal City Hall, asking Mayor Valérie Plante to take more action to fight antisemitism. 

The protest was organized by Federation CJA and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, two prominent pro-Israel Jewish organizations in Canada.

"I think at some point someone has to call that out and say that's not acceptable in Montreal," said Yair Szlak, general director of Federation CJA, referring to the SPHR post and McGill encampment.

The groups called for the city to give clear directives to police to dismantle the encampment that has been in place on McGill's downtown campus since late April. They also called for the city to fire its first anti-racism commissioner, Bochra Manaï, because of her support for Palestinians on social media and at pro-Palestinian protests, and for the SPVM to be more aggressive in policing hate speech.

Raihaana Adira, one of two students who filed a court injunction request shortly after the McGill encampment was erected to have it removed, attended the protest. 

Adira is a third-year student at the university, studying international development and Islamic studies.

"I was raised with the belief that the Jews are our Abrahamic cousins and that we must all learn to live together in peace and unity," said Adira, who is Muslim. She filed the injunction request with Gabriel Medvedovsky, a Jewish student at McGill. It was rejected and McGill eventually filed an injunction request of its own, which was partially rejected but is still moving its way through the courts.

"Islam is a religion of love and light and that's not happening. What I try to do with my work and speaking here today and by filing the injunction is truly just to promote love and light, and my Islamic values of coexistence."

Adira, who ran for president of the Students' Society of McGill University earlier this spring, said she is not looking forward to going back to school in the fall "as a lot of people really don't like what I have to say."