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Toronto (October 22, 2024) – Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) is horrified by the glorification of former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar that took place at protests in Canada over the weekend.

On Sunday, in Toronto, anti-Israel demonstrators openly celebrated the mastermind of the October 7 massacre in Israel, holding up signs that read, "He lived as a leader. He died as a soldier" and "From Malcolm X to Yahya Sinwar, Heros [sic] Become Legends and Legends Become Immortal."

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Anti-Israel activists in Montreal and Ottawa also took to the streets over the weekend to pay tribute to Sinwar. Graffiti in Montreal read "Long live the Intifada. When one martyr falls, a thousand fighters rise. Yahya Sinwar died fighting for his people." In Ottawa, a protester was spotted holding up a sign quoting Sinwar and featuring a drawing of a man wearing a bulletproof vest and holding a rifle under an inverted red triangle, a symbol used by the Hamas genocidal terrorist group and to promote violence against Israelis specifically and Jews in general.

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"It is deeply disturbing to see people in Canada publicly celebrating the legacy of an arch-terrorist and mass murderer of both Palestinians and Israelis," said FSWC President and CEO Michael Levitt. "The glorification of terrorists and terror groups and incitement to violence must not be tolerated in this country. It's high time our lawmakers put forward measures that would ensure that those who publicly promote and celebrate listed terror groups under Canadian law are held to account for their despicable actions."

Three weeks ago, after anti-Israel demonstrators displayed numerous Hezbollah flags and photos of the former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Toronto and Montreal, FSWC, B'nai Brith Canada and CIJA issued a joint letter to Minister of Justice and Attorney General Arif Virani urging the federal government to criminalize the glorification of terrorism. The letter specifically recommended that Canada "adopt legislation prohibiting the public display of flags and symbols of listed terrorist entities, ensuring that those who promote terrorism are held accountable." Minister Virani has yet to respond to the letter.

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