Advocacy @ HBT: The week of March 13, 2026

Advocacy @ HBT: Al Quds Hate Rally to be Held Tomorrow  

Tomorrow, Saturday, March 14th, the annual hate rally “Al Quds Day” will be held outside the US Consulate downtown. Al Quds Day was established by the Iranian Regime in 1979 as a tool for celebrating the revolution and exporting its violent rhetoric across the globe. It is an annual rally to call for the destruction of Israel and the USA, and to express support for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.  

Toronto Police are aware and have significantly increased security, restricted airspace, and are on record as preparing to enforce the law regarding violations of hate speech, police obstruction, and violence. Action by the police is especially critical in the current climate of antisemitism (including the terrorist attacks on synagogues in Toronto and elsewhere this week) and in the context of the ongoing war in the Middle East and our community’s support for Iranians who are seeking to rid themselves of the theocratic regime in their country. 

This year, as war with Iran is actively being fought across the Middle East, other cities, like London, have cancelled permits for the rally entirely.  

In Toronto, CIJA has a simple ask for our Jewish community – to push our elected officials to openly and directly condemn this hateful event for what it is. You can add your name to the petition below, asking that Mayor Chow and City Councillors formally denounce Al Quds Day.  

Read the CIJA Petition and sign your name here.  

We are hopeful that Police will properly enforce the law, especially around hate speech and calls to violence.  

Learn more about Advocacy here.