2 counter-protesters arrested at Al-Quds Day rally: Toronto police
Written by The Canadian Press on March 15, 2026
TORONTO — Toronto police say they arrested two counter-protesters at Saturday’s Al-Quds Day demonstration, which saw thousands of people rally in support of Palestine outside the U.S. Consulate as some counter-protesters carried the flags of Israel and pre-revolution Iran.
Police allege a 56-year-old man swung his arms and fists at a protester who was holding a flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran, causing the flagpole to break and strike the victim in the head.
Police say the Toronto man was arrested and charged with mischief and assault.
Toronto police allege a second counter-protester spat on a victim who was wearing an Islamic Republic flag and ripped the flag from their back.
Police allege the counter-protester was observed wearing Islamic Republic flags on the soles of his shoes and also lit an Islamic Republic flag on fire.
Police say they charged the 39-year-old Toronto man with assault, criminal harassment, theft, possession of property obtained by crime and public incitement of hatred.
Toronto police say the two incidents were unrelated but the investigations are both being treated as suspected hate-motivated offences.
Less than an hour before the afternoon rally began outside the U.S. Consulate in downtown, a court dismissed the 11th hour request by Premier Doug Ford’s government for an injunction against it, calling the rally a “breeding ground for hate and antisemitism.”
Ford’s allegations were swiftly condemned by civil liberty groups, with organizers calling the injunction request an attempt to silence Palestinian solidarity and criticism of Israel.
During Saturday’s court hearing, lawyers for the province acknowledged there was no evidence the rallies had ever resulted in criminal charges against demonstrators.
Al-Quds, taken from the Arabic word for Jerusalem, has been a magnet for controversy in part because it was popularized in Iran after the 1979 revolution.
Al-Quds Day rallies also took place across the world Saturday amid a major attack on Iran from the U.S. and Israel, which has seen Iran retaliate with airstrikes of its own against Israel and neighbouring Arab Gulf states.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 15, 2026.
— With files from The Associated Press
The Canadian Press