"An expert in free expression feels Ontario's solicitor general is attempting to pressure Toronto police to change how they handle protests for political reasons. This comes after Solicitor General Michael Kerzner issued a letter to the Toronto Police Service (TPS) on Dec. 30, calling out what he described as a lack of enforcement for hate, intimidation and harassment-motivated offences at protests in the city. But James Turk, director of the Centre for Free Expression at Toronto Metropolitan University, is worried about Kerzner's motivations."
"Since the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 and Israel's subsequent invasion of Gaza, Toronto police have attended more than 800 demonstrations related to the conflict, according to TPS spokesperson Stephanie Sayer. Officers have also made almost 500 arrests, she said, and laid more than 1,000 criminal charges related to protests and hate crimes during that time."
The solicitor general issued a Dec. 30 letter to the Toronto Police Service criticizing a perceived lack of enforcement for hate, intimidation and harassment-motivated offences at protests. An expert at the Centre for Free Expression expressed concern that the solicitor general may be intervening in policing for political reasons. Toronto police attended more than 800 demonstrations related to the Israel–Gaza conflict, made almost 500 arrests and laid over 1,000 criminal charges during that period. Calls for stricter protest laws contributed to a city bylaw limiting protests within 50 metres of schools and places of worship. Specific incidents highlighted include a pro-Palestinian Eaton Centre protest and marches near Bathurst and Sheppard.
Read at www.cbc.ca
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