Thousands filled the streets of Toronto on Sunday for the annual Walk for Israel, which highlighted support for the State of Israel amid the ongoing war against Palestinian Arab terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip and the continued captivity of hostages held by Hamas.
The marchers carried Israeli flags, with Israeli songs playing in the background, as they made their way to the Jewish Community Center for further activities aimed at strengthening Jewish identity and the connection between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel.
The annual Walk for Israel also serves as a means of raising donations for development projects in Israel, aligned with needs determined in coordination with local communities.
Toronto Police and Ontario Provincial Police were deployed in advance along the route of the march, due to concerns over potential violent actions by pro-Palestinian Arab groups. Snipers were positioned on rooftops overlooking the march.
Pro-Palestinian Arab demonstrators gathered at a central intersection, singing Palestinian national songs, hurling accusations at Israel as a state responsible for genocide, calling for Jews to return to Europe, and carrying signs stating that Israel would cease to exist in the coming years.
The anti-Israel protests prompted the Israeli National Security Council (NSC) to raise the travel alert level for Canada from Level 1 to Level 2, warning of a growing security threat to Israelis and Jews in the country.