A week following the October 7 attack on Israel, a pro-Israel rally was held in Toronto at the intersection of Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue. The North York neighbourhood is the home of a significant number of Jews. Each Sunday, between noon and 2 pm, the group assembles with signs and Israeli flags.
Within a few weeks, a counter demonstration appeared at the same intersection. They were more agitators than demonstrators. Many were masked, carrying Palestinian flags and sometimes Hamas and Hezbollah flags. They were both advocating for Palestinians and demonizing Israel and Jews.
The police felt their role was only to keep the two sides apart. No arrests were made related to these rallies until late spring of 2026.
As the months and years passed, the same performance played out at the intersection by two small but determined groups on opposite corners of the street. Even after the Gaza ceasefire was agreed to in October 2025, nothing appeared to change. At one point I beginning to believe that this weekly ritual was pointless. But not anymore.
What changed my perspective?
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