B’nai Brith Canada said on Tuesday it is urging municipal leaders across the country to ban Al-Quds Day, an annual event it describes as an “anti-Jewish hatefest,” set to take place on March 28, 2025. First initiated in 1979 by Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of Iran’s Islamic Republic, Al-Quds Day has long been associated with anti-Israel rhetoric and calls for the destruction of the Jewish state. In Canada, the event has been marked by rallies in cities like Toronto , Montreal, Calgary, and Vancouver, often featuring speakers who glorify terrorist organizations such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). At the 2014 Toronto iteration of the event, Moulana Zaki Baqri called for “Yahoodi,” i.e. Jews, to be “dismantled.” In 2013 and 2016, speakers called for Israelis to be shot. In 2018, Sheikh Shafiq Hudda, director of the Islamic Humanitarian Service in Kitchener, Ontario, said during an Al-Quds Day rally that a day will come when we will see "the eradication of the unjust powers, such as the American empire, such as the Israeli Zionists." B’nai Brith Canada has been sounding the alarm about Al-Quds Day for years, warning that it serves as a platform for incitement and antisemitism. Richard Robertson, the organization’s Director of Research and Advocacy, emphasized the urgency of banning the event, particularly in light of the surge in antisemitic incidents following Hamas' October 7, 2023, terror attacks on Israel. “Since October 7, virtually every day has felt as if it were Al-Quds Day,” said Robertson in a statement on Tuesday. “It is appalling that this disgusting Day of Hate is still tolerated in this country.” Despite concerns raised by Jewish organizations and community members, the City of Toronto has declined to take action against the event. In response, B’nai Brith Canada is launching a letter-writing campaign aimed at pressuring Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, as well as the mayors of Montreal, Calgary, and Vancouver, to prevent Al-Quds Day gatherings from taking place in their cities. Robertson pointed out that Canada has recently taken steps to counter Iranian influence, including designating Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups such as the Houthis as terrorist entities. Allowing Al-Quds Day to proceed, he argued, undermines those efforts. Related articles: Iranian Jews at the Al Quds March against Israel Anti-Israel protesters express support for 'intifada' B’nai Brith urges Toronto to ban Al-Quds Day hatefest Al-Quds Day rally once again turns into anti-Israel hatefest “Our leaders’ inability to crack down on this hatefest, year after year, raises the question of whether Canadian values remain a priority,” Robertson said. “Permitting Al-Quds Day to go on is at odds with Canada’s recent actions against Iranian-backed extremism.” B’nai Brith Canada said it continues to call on government officials to act decisively in ensuring that hate-driven events like Al-Quds Day are no longer permitted on Canadian soil.
