Demonstrators speak to media in front of Toronto Police Headquarters, asking police to drop charges against pro-Palestine protesters in Toronto on May 22.Sammy Kogan/The Globe and Mail
Charges have been dropped against four people accused of vandalizing an Indigo store in Toronto in protest against its owner’s support for soldiers of the Israeli military.
Eleven people were charged in November with mischief, harassment and conspiracy after protest posters were stuck to the store and paint poured on its window and sidewalk. Supporters of the remaining seven called Wednesday for their charges to be dropped as well, arguing police were trying to intimidate Palestinian supporters into silence.
“The posters and paint found at Indigo were washed away easily that day, but the impact of the Toronto Police’s criminalization will linger for a long time yet,” Karl Gardner, one of those whose charges were dropped, told the media.
“Our names and reputations have been dragged through the mud. We’ve been called anti-Semites and hate criminals and worse.”
Also dropped were charges against Clement Cheng, Ian Doty and Saram Rho.
In a statement forwarded by spokeswoman Stephanie Sayer, the Toronto Police said the dropping of the charges did not reflect on their validity.
In its own statement, the Crown said its decision to drop charges was not a criticism of the police decision to lay them, noting that “the standard for proceeding with a prosecution is properly higher and more rigorous.”
Mike Leitold, a defence lawyer for Ms. Rho, said her charges were dropped “quietly, the Friday before a long weekend.” He argued that this decision should have been reached months ago.
“At the time the charges were laid, it’s very clear that the charges against Ms. Rho and the others were baseless,” he said. “This is an important social value to allow for free expression of dissent in our society, and to criminalize it sends a very chilling message.”
The war in Gaza has taken place amid enormous international attention, as images of death and destruction are beamed around the world. It has prompted accusations of genocide, which Israel denies, and this week the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor applied for arrest warrants for senior Israeli and Hamas leaders.
It has also sparked worldwide protests, including in cities across Canada. In response, some have sought to restrict where people can demonstrate.
A judge in Montreal granted an injunction keeping protesters away from a synagogue and Jewish organization. In Vaughan, north of Toronto, city staff are considering how to draft a bylaw that would make protest illegal in some locations. And two municipal politicians in Toronto are this week seeking council support for asking the province to create “bubble zone” legislation protecting religious and cultural institutions.
At the time the 11 people were charged in connection with the Indigo protest, police alleged their actions were motivated by hate. Indigo Books is majority owned by Gerald Schwartz and its chief executive officer is his wife, Heather Reisman, both prominent members of the Jewish community.
But supporters of the protesters pointed instead to a foundation run by Mr. Schwartz and Ms. Reisman. HESEG, which means achievement in Hebrew, provides money for people, including non-Israelis, who join the military and then decide to study in the country after.
On Wednesday, a representative of the United Jewish People’s Order, a fraternal organization, said that accusations of antisemitism were being weaponized by critics of protesters.
“As Jewish people we know the importance of fighting actual antisemitism, which is both real and on the rise,” said Sarena Sairan.
“To be clear, Indigo Books and Heather Reisman are a target of protest not because Reisman is Jewish but because she has made it her mission through her foundation to provide direct financial support to Canadian citizens to join an Israeli military that is now engaging in an ongoing genocide in Gaza.”