Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs

By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

The Montreal Jewish community is calling on Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante to react more strongly to antisemitism and recent pro-Hamas demonstrations outside Jewish institutions, including the March 4 blockade outside Federation CJA and the March 5 protest of a real estate event at the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue.

As well, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) revealed that a poster at the Montreal Holocaust Museum was vandalized March 25 with stickers saying “Free Palestine” and “Boycott Genocide Israel.”

“Anti-Israel protesters like to pretend they’re not antisemitic,” CIJA posted on X. “So why did they vandalize a poster at the Montreal Holocaust Museum? These demonstrations of hate must stop.”

CIJA and Federation CJA also revealed that lawyers for Federation served Plante with copies of the recently granted and extended injunction prohibiting pro-Hamas protests from within 50 metres of the Federation CJA building, the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, the Cummings Centre, the Sylvan Adams YM-YWHA, Herzliah High School and United Talmud Torah of Montreal.

“Following months of antisemitic protest allowed to promulgate on the streets of Montreal, and as protesters continue to test limits, the Mayor must step up and must impose tougher measures to protect community centres, schools and places of worship,” the two organizations stated. “We expect the Mayor to make sure law enforcement upholds the court’s order and do everything within their powers to ensure that the terms are adhered to.”

Federation CJA and CIJA added that they have conveyed their messages through direct communications and public statements to Montreal officials, including Plante, regarding “the grave safety concerns of the Jewish community and the urgent need for concrete measures to deal with the escalating nature of the public protests and potential violence targeting the Jewish community, as well as the dramatic rise in antisemitism.

“A clear message must be sent to those who seek to promote hate in our streets that this will not be tolerated, and this starts by making sure the injunction is being respected.”

Federation CJA CEO Yair Szlak also says Plante never said anything about the March 4 blockade of the Federation CJA building, but Plante told reporters she did respond by retweeting a condemnation from CDN-NDG Mayor Gracia Kasoki Katahwa.

Plante and other Montreal officials have also responded to critics that people should feel safe in Montreal, and that the right to protest is protected by the Canadian and Quebec Charters. n