Pro-Palestinian groups say Trudeau, Toronto mayor spreading misinformation on protest

Organizers of a pro-Palestinian demonstration that passed by a Toronto hospital earlier this week are accusing the prime minister and the city’s mayor of spreading misinformation and being unfair to peaceful protesters. 

In a joint written statement, three groups who organized Monday’s march – Jews Say No To Genocide, Palestinian Youth Movement-Toronto and Toronto4Palestine – say the politicians’ suggestion that demonstrators targeted Mount Sinai Hospital in an act of antisemitism is unfounded and inaccurate. 

The groups say the hospital was not targeted and was among several buildings and monuments that protesters passed by on their route, which police were aware of beforehand, and they are demanding the leaders retract their statements. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the demonstration’s stop outside the hospital a “reprehensible” display of antisemitism in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, while Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow called the gathering “antisemitic,” noting the hospital was founded by the Jewish community.

A video posted online shows a demonstrator scaling scaffolding outside the hospital and waving a Palestinian flag, but a protest marshal says a small handful of demonstrators scaled several high points along the route, not just at the hospital. 

Protest marshal Chelsey Lichtman, a member of Jews Say No To Genocide, says she did not witness any disruption outside the hospital and protesters did not prevent the public from accessing its entrance.

Toronto police say they are investigating incidents that occurred in front of the hospital and along the protest route, and will have an increased presence along the so-called hospital row area, however, they did not say whether the hospital operations were disrupted during the protest.

The prime minister’s office and Chow did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.