Charges dropped for 3 more people accused in Indigo bookstore vandalism: lawyer
Arash Ghiassi, who represents two people in the group of accused, says that means seven out of 11 people have seen their charges dropped in the case.
Ghiassi says two members of the group pleaded guilty on Thursday and will be seeking absolute discharges from the court, which were granted to two others who previously entered guilty pleas.
Toronto police laid charges of mischief, conspiracy and criminal harassment after the store was postered and splashed with red paint in what they described at the time as "suspected hate-motivated offences."
Indigo founder and chief executive Heather Reisman, who is Jewish, has been a target of protests over a foundation she started with her husband that offers scholarships to people with no family ties in Israel who served in that country's military.
The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center and other organizations have denounced the Indigo protests as antisemitic, an allegation denied by protesters and their supporters.
Activists have accused the police and others of mischaracterizing the November 2023 protest as "hate-motivated" in an effort to silence pro-Palestinian groups, and alleged that officers carried out unjustified raids on the accused as they made the arrests.
Toronto police have previously said their officers carried out "judicially authorized" search warrants as part of the investigation.
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Vancouver Sun
an hour ago
- Vancouver Sun
Protests held across Israel calling for end to Gaza war, hostage deal
Tel Aviv (AFP) — Demonstrators took to the streets across Israel Sunday calling for an end to the war in Gaza and a deal to release hostages still held by militants, as the military prepares a new offensive. The protests come more than a week after Israel's security cabinet approved plans to capture Gaza City, following 22 months of war that have created dire humanitarian conditions in the Palestinian territory. The war was triggered by Palestinian militant group Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel, during which 251 people were taken hostage. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Forty-nine captives remain in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. A huge Israeli flag covered with portraits of the remaining captives was unfurled in Tel Aviv's so-called Hostage Square — which has long been a focal point for protests throughout the war. Demonstrators also blocked several roads in the city, including the highway connecting Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, where demonstrators set tires on fire and caused traffic jams, according to local media footage. Protest organizers and the main campaign group representing the families of hostages also called for a general strike on Sunday — the first day of the week in Israel. In Jerusalem and in Tel Aviv, many businesses were shut. 'I think it's time to end the war. It's time to release all of the hostages. And it's time to help Israel recover and move towards a more stable Middle East,' said Doron Wilfand, a 54-year-old tour guide, at a rally in Jerusalem. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum campaign group said in a statement that protesters would 'shut down the country today (Sunday) with one clear call: Bring back the 50 hostages, end the war'. Their toll includes a soldier killed in a 2014 war whose remains are held by Hamas. The forum plans to set up a protest tent near the Gaza border, vowing to 'escalate our struggle and do everything possible to bring back our beloved ones'. 'If we don't bring them back now -– we will lose them forever.' Recent videos released by Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad showing two weak and emaciated captives have heightened concern for the fate of the hostages. Egypt said in recent days mediators were leading a renewed push to secure a 60-day truce that would include hostage release, after the last round of talks in Qatar had ended without a breakthrough. Viki Cohen, whose son Nimrod is held in Gaza, said in a post on X addressing him: 'I hope you have access to the media somewhere in the tunnels, and that you will see how the people of Israel pause life today for you and for the hostages. Stay strong, just a little more.' Speaking at a rally in Tel Aviv, Israeli President Issac Herzog said 'we want them back as soon as possible', calling for international pressure on Hamas. Some Israeli government members who oppose any deal with Hamas slammed Sunday's demonstrations. Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich decried 'a perverse and harmful campaign that plays into the hands of Hamas'. He argued that public pressure to secure a deal effectively 'buries the hostages in tunnels and seeks to push the State of Israel to surrender to its enemies and jeopardize its security and future'. Culture Minister Miki Zohar, of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, said on X that blocking roads and disrupting daily life 'is a serious mistake and a reward to the enemy'. Israeli police beefed up forces, saying no 'public order disturbances' would be tolerated. AFPTV footage showed protesters at a rally in Beeri, a kibbutz near the Gaza border that was one of the hardest-hit communities in the Hamas attack, and Israeli media reported protests in numerous locations across the country. The Israeli plans to expand the war into Gaza City and nearby refugee camps have sparked an international outcry as well as domestic opposition. UN-backed experts have warned of widespread famine unfolding in the territory, where Israel has drastically curtailed the amount of humanitarian aid it allows in. Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel's offensive has killed more than 61,897 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza which the United Nations considers reliable.
Toronto Sun
2 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Protests held across Israel calling for end to Gaza war, hostage deal
Published Aug 17, 2025 • 3 minute read The protests across Israel come more than a week after the government approved plans to expand the Gaza war Photo by Jalaa MAREY / AFP Tel Aviv (AFP) — Demonstrators took to the streets across Israel Sunday calling for an end to the war in Gaza and a deal to release hostages still held by militants, as the military prepares a new offensive. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The protests come more than a week after Israel's security cabinet approved plans to capture Gaza City, following 22 months of war that have created dire humanitarian conditions in the Palestinian territory. The war was triggered by Palestinian militant group Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel, during which 251 people were taken hostage. Forty-nine captives remain in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. A huge Israeli flag covered with portraits of the remaining captives was unfurled in Tel Aviv's so-called Hostage Square — which has long been a focal point for protests throughout the war. Demonstrators also blocked several roads in the city, including the highway connecting Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, where demonstrators set tires on fire and caused traffic jams, according to local media footage. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Protest organisers called for a general strike to demand a hostage release deal. (Menahem Kahana/AFP) Photo by Menahem Kahana / AFP Protest organizers and the main campaign group representing the families of hostages also called for a general strike on Sunday — the first day of the week in Israel. In Jerusalem and in Tel Aviv, many businesses were shut. 'I think it's time to end the war. It's time to release all of the hostages. And it's time to help Israel recover and move towards a more stable Middle East,' said Doron Wilfand, a 54-year-old tour guide, at a rally in Jerusalem. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum campaign group said in a statement that protesters would 'shut down the country today (Sunday) with one clear call: Bring back the 50 hostages, end the war'. Their toll includes a soldier killed in a 2014 war whose remains are held by Hamas. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The forum plans to set up a protest tent near the Gaza border, vowing to 'escalate our struggle and do everything possible to bring back our beloved ones'. 'If we don't bring them back now -– we will lose them forever.' 'Stay strong' Recent videos released by Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad showing two weak and emaciated captives have heightened concern for the fate of the hostages. Egypt said in recent days mediators were leading a renewed push to secure a 60-day truce that would include hostage release, after the last round of talks in Qatar had ended without a breakthrough. Viki Cohen, whose son Nimrod is held in Gaza, said in a post on X addressing him: 'I hope you have access to the media somewhere in the tunnels, and that you will see how the people of Israel pause life today for you and for the hostages. Stay strong, just a little more.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Speaking at a rally in Tel Aviv, Israeli President Issac Herzog said 'we want them back as soon as possible', calling for international pressure on Hamas. Some Israeli government members who oppose any deal with Hamas slammed Sunday's demonstrations. Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich decried 'a perverse and harmful campaign that plays into the hands of Hamas'. He argued that public pressure to secure a deal effectively 'buries the hostages in tunnels and seeks to push the State of Israel to surrender to its enemies and jeopardize its security and future'. Culture Minister Miki Zohar, of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, said on X that blocking roads and disrupting daily life 'is a serious mistake and a reward to the enemy'. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Israeli police beefed up forces, saying no 'public order disturbances' would be tolerated. Famine warning AFPTV footage showed protesters at a rally in Beeri, a kibbutz near the Gaza border that was one of the hardest-hit communities in the Hamas attack, and Israeli media reported protests in numerous locations across the country. The Israeli plans to expand the war into Gaza City and nearby refugee camps have sparked an international outcry as well as domestic opposition. UN-backed experts have warned of widespread famine unfolding in the territory, where Israel has drastically curtailed the amount of humanitarian aid it allows in. Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel's offensive has killed more than 61,897 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza which the United Nations considers reliable. Columnists Sunshine Girls Sunshine Girls CFL Toronto & GTA
Ottawa Citizen
3 hours ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Sharren Haskel: I am Israel's Canadian-born deputy foreign minister. Mark Carney is rewarding terrorist monsters
Article content The most popular candidate for president is Marwan Barghouti, who is in an Israeli prison on five counts of murder. Barghouti is not a member of Hamas but Fatah, but he is a terrorist too. Does Canada really want a Palestinian state on Israel's doorstep led by terrorists like Barghouti? Article content This is not the Canada the world once knew. On Nov. 29, 1947, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the partition plan, ending the British Mandate and providing for the establishment of a Jewish state after two millennia in exile. Lester Pearson, then a senior Canadian diplomat and later prime minister, played a vital role in achieving the consensus that led to the plan's adoption. Pearson maintained that any durable settlement in the region must include recognition of the Jewish people's right to statehood in their historic homeland — a position he described as a 'sine qua non' for peace. Article content Article content For decades, Canada's policy reflected that principle, contributing to its reputation as a constructive and balanced actor in the Middle East peace process. The current decision to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state under certain predicates marks a significant departure from that long-standing approach. Prime Minister Mark Carney said earlier this year that any future Palestinian state should be 'Zionist.' Whichever imaginary Palestinian state Mr. Carney believes he is declaring recognition of, it certainly won't be 'Zionist.' There is time for Mr. Carney to change his mind, and I would urge him to do so. Article content Canada says its recognition hinges on the Palestinian Authority agreeing to significant reforms: overhauling its governance, holding 2026 elections without Hamas, and creating a demilitarised Palestinian state. It is difficult to see how these predicates could be fully met in practice, given the entrenched power structures and ongoing influence of Hamas. It is impossible that all the predicates will be met by mid-September, so Canada would potentially be rewarding Hamas with state recognition before any of these terms can be met. Article content Article content History will judge this decision in the context of Canada's long-standing role in the Middle East. While Canada once acted as a constructive and respected partner in supporting peace and legitimacy in the region, this unilateral recognition risks undermining that legacy. Acting at a moment when our hostages remain in brutal Hamas captivity and tensions are extremely high, Canada sends a terrible signal that political symbolism and opportunism take precedence over practical and sensible diplomatic solutions, and that terrorism works. Article content I am pleased the Toronto International Film Festival changed their mind, but the antisemitism that is flooding Canada must be taken seriously by both the federal and provincial governments. Canada must do more to counter this terrible change in societal values since October 7.
