Toronto’s PLO flag stunt glorifies terror history, betraying Jewish residents already targeted by pro-Palestinian extremism.
Toronto faced a firestorm of outrage this week after the PLO flag — symbol of a group once officially designated as a terrorist organization in Canada — was raised at City Hall to mark the 1988 “Palestinian Independence” declaration. The ceremony, held Monday, commemorated an event born out of the violent First Intifada and was approved despite explicit warnings from the Jewish community.
B’nai Brith Canada revealed that it had formally alerted the City’s Chief of Protocol ahead of the event, demanding its cancellation and underscoring that such recognition legitimizes a legacy of terrorism, incites extremist rhetoric, and deepens fear within Toronto’s Jewish population. Despite these warnings, the City proceeded without hesitation.
“Jewish residents are already facing unprecedented harassment, threats, vandalism, and intimidation,” B’nai Brith said, calling the City’s decision a reckless breach of its own flag-raising rules. The organization’s complaint details multiple violations, arguing that Toronto ignored both its legal responsibilities and the psychological impact on a community already under siege.
Their message was clear: the City must correct its error, explain how this approval was granted, and overhaul its procedures to ensure that symbols tied to Palestinian terrorism are never again elevated on municipal property. “Our community deserves nothing less,” the statement concluded.
The backlash comes amid a historic surge in antisemitic crimes across Toronto, triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel and empowered by pro-Palestinian radicalization in the West. According to Toronto Police Service data released in May, 2024 recorded the highest number of hate crimes ever, with Jews once again being the primary target.
This latest controversy follows a disturbing string of attacks: windows were smashed at Kehillat Shaarei Torah for the tenth time in 18 months, and anti-Israel rioters recently stormed an event hosting IDF veterans, forcing arrests after violent clashes.
The raising of the PLO flag — in the middle of a wave of Arab-linked antisemitic aggression — has therefore become more than a symbolic insult. It is a dangerous signal that terror-linked narratives are being normalized while Jewish safety is eroded.
