By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban
After agglomeration meetings in December and January in which 16 anti-Israel questioners were allowed to attack Hampstead Mayor Jeremy Levi for his support of Israel in its conflict with Hamas since its Oct. 7 terrorist attack, Montrealers confronted Mayor Valérie Plante at the Agglo meeting on the city’s allowance of hateful anti-Israel demonstrations. Attorney Neil Oberman, senior partner at Spiegel Sohmer, recently served Plante with a formal demand letter by bailiff that the City of Montreal immediately intervene and enforce all laws, by-laws and regulations governing unlawful assemblies.
Before the question period began, agglomeration council meeting chair Nancy Blanchet explained that a meeting took place between the City of Montreal and the Association of Suburban Municipalities following the January meeting regarding the rules of question period. At the December and January meetings, Blanchet allowed more than the three permitted questions on a specific subject, a subject of two complaints to the Quebec Municipal Commission by B’nai Brith Canada. At the February meeting, she employed the three-question limit. As it turned out, there was only one anti-Israel question.
(Hampstead Mayor Jeremy Levi posted on X that “the initial minutes from the January agglo meeting failed to mention the ASM’s preference for addressing only agglo-related questions. I contested this and successfully prompted a revision of the minutes. Additionally, I’m pleased to report that Valérie Plante has now implemented the longstanding three-question limit on similar queries.”)
This time, the three allowed questions regarded what is seen as lack of action by Montreal and Plante against antisemitism, particularly at anti-Israel demonstration that include placards with the genocidal slogan “from the river to the sea.” Some questioners wore clothing with the message “Bring Them Home,” referring to hostages held by Hamas since Oct. 7.
Juran Tel Aziza, speaking in English, asked Plante if she asked Montreal police to report to her “…the hateful words that incite violence and the total destruction of the entire Jewish people…That’s their solution, from the river to the sea. You, Madame Plante and the police, let them go week after week until words turn into action! Look at what’s happening in London, Toronto, Paris, Belgium and now Montreal! How come there haven’t been any arrests for the attacks on schools, institutions and incitement to hatred that is heard on our streets, week after week?!”
Plante declined to answer in English, instead doing so in French. She said it is important for the SPVM to provide security “and we’re working very hard to do that.” She also said demonstrations are allowed under the Canadian and Quebec Charter, and that the SPVM is on hand to maintain the peace.
Georgette Bensimon brought up the letter sent by leaders from numerous ethnic communities demanding the resignation of Bochra Manaï, the city’s Anti-Racism Commissioner who attended anti-Israel rallies where antisemitic chants were heard.
François Limoges, the new Projét Montréal majority leader replacing Alex Norris, repeated the message Plante said last November, when the controversy first arose, that Manaï will meet with all of the affected communities, and that there is “clearly a bond of trust to be strengthened.” Bensimon said, to her knowledge, Manaï has not yet met with the Jewish community, “at all.
“She should be neutral and open to all communities.”
Later, Côte St. Luc resident Sharon Freedman told Plante that demonstrations must be peaceful, respectful and obey the law, but that the ones that have taken place since Oct. 7 “spew out horrible, hateful language and they usually incite violence. Mayor Plante, our community has asked you often to protect our Jewish community against the violence, the gunshots [at Jewish schools], but you have not done much about that. What are you prepared to do to stop those kinds of demonstrations?”
Instead of Plante, Freedman received a response, this time in English, from Alain Vaillancourt, the Montreal executive committee member in charge of public security. He claimed that the anti-Israel demonstrations have been peaceful.”We understand it’s been difficult, we understand that people need to express themselves on both sides, and they choose to do so through demonstrations in different forms.” Vaillancourt repeated Plante’s point that the Canadian and Quebec Charters allow demonstrations.
“They need to do it peacefully and in the correct way. I frequently speak with police chief Fady Dagher about everything that’s going on, and the demonstrations have been relatively peaceful, have been well balanced as far as protection and safety. When there’s a criminal or hate incident, the police are there to intervene. We ask people, if you’re witness or are subjected to a [crime or hate], call 911. We’ve increased the resources for people to investigate the situations, and the police are serious about it. We’re serious about it. It’s zero tolerance….Both communities are [demonstrating] in the right way.”
Freedman, who wore clothing expressing her support for Mayor Levi, directly asked Plante “and nobody else” why she “continues to remains silent when questions of hatred, totally inappropriate for this wonderful chamber, are hurled at Mayor Levi. When are you going to take a stand, Mayor Plante?!”
Plante refused to answer. n