A 33-year-old pro-Palestinian Arab demonstrator has been hit with a terrorism charge over allegations that he acted in connection with Hamas, Toronto authorities announced Wednesday, according to a report in Global News.
The man was taken into custody following a joint inquiry conducted by the Toronto Police Service Hate Crime Unit alongside the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET). He made an initial court appearance on Tuesday.
According to police, the suspect participated in several downtown Toronto anti-Israel rallies between May 25 and September 7, 2024. Investigators allege that he used a microphone to publicly express views advocating "harm against members of the Israeli and Jewish communities."
On March 7, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the man’s residence, recovering several electronic devices. Authorities reported that the seized evidence substantiated claims that the accused "acted for the benefit of, and in association with, Hamas, a designated terrorist group."
Approval for the charge was granted on July 20 by both the Ontario and federal attorneys general. He faces a single count of participating in or contributing to the activities of a terrorist entity, an offense carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The prosecution marks a rare instance where Canadian authorities have formally linked domestic pro-Palestinian Arab demonstrations to a designated terrorist organization.
The suspects legal counsel, Mohamed El Rashidy, rejected the allegations, stating his client maintains "no connection to Hamas or any other foreign group."
He faces a single charge arising from speaking at public demonstrations. No violence, no weapon, no one harmed," the lawyer said.
“Speaking out at a protest about the killing of civilians is protected expression, not terrorism," he added. “We’ll be looking closely at how and why this case came to be, and we’re confident it won’t hold up when measured against the law."
Under Canadian federal law, Hamas is officially classified by Public Safety Canada as a "radical Islamist-nationalist terrorist organization" and remains listed among the nation's designated terrorist entities.
Addressing the arrest, the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) expressed deep concern over the allegations, saying, "This is deeply disturbing. In the aftermath of the October 7 massacre, Jewish Canadians have been raising alarm bells about violent rhetoric and glorification of terrorism within anti-Israel demonstrations. Police are now alleging that a leading figure in these hateful protests is indeed associated with Hamas. This terrorism charge is a stark reminder that such conduct must be taken seriously."
"Extremism is not just a threat to Canada’s Jewish community, but to every Canadian. We thank the Toronto Police Service and the RCMP’s INSET for their diligent work," it added.
Toronto and the area have seen a sharp uptick in antisemitic violence since the Hamas massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023.
In early March, shots were fired at two Toronto-area synagogues within several hours. Several suspects have been arrested in connection with those shootings.
Also in March, gunfire struck Temple Emanu-El in North York, as members of the congregation were marking the holiday of Purim. There were no injuries but the building was damaged.
In late April, a male suspect attempted to force his way into an Orthodox synagogue in Thornhill, just north of Toronto, and assaulted a victim before fleeing the scene.
A day later, a rock was hurled at the window of a Judaica shop in Toronto, marking the third time this particular store has been attacked.