LEVY: How Toronto police's Walk With Israel safety promise fell apart
Sue-Ann Levy writes, "If my community has learned anything over the past nearly three years, it is that we can’t trust our politicians or police to protect us."
Our police force promised to protect the 60,000 people who marched in Toronto’s Walk with Israel Sunday.
But evidently, some of the anti-Zionist/anti-Semitic protesters who came to wreak havoc are more privileged than others.
The number of police from the Toronto force — on bikes, on horseback and on foot — was unbelievably high. Reinforcements were also brought in from the OPP, Peel Region and perhaps other forces I didn’t see.
Police Chief Myron Demkiw also showed up to do his publicity walk.
They kept most of the 200 protesters behind a line 50 metres from the walkers.
And arrests were made — six of them, although I’m betting most will get off.
I marvelled at how amazing it was that the Jew haters weren’t on top of us or among us like last year — until I reached the last leg of the 4-km walk.
A contingent of the most obnoxious, evil and I dare say mentally challenged Jew haters managed to slip through the police barricades and set about harassing the walkers while police stood there doing nothing, nada, zip, zilch.
Perennial protester and dark soul, Navid Awan was shouting at people through a megaphone, trying to intimidate them.
I was one and he named me, claiming I supported a genocide.
His efforts didn’t work.
Daniela Bonamico was dancing and singing, fresh from her starring role on the Gaza flotilla circuit at Pearson airport, where she claimed to have broken ribs and other injuries one week ago.
Evidently, those injuries healed very quickly.
Sarcasm aside, the police let them stand there and harass the passersby despite promises to remove and/or arrest those who interrupted the walkers.
In fact, one officer, when asked why they were allowed to remain there, excused the inaction by saying the area was very large.
Hmmm. That’s why there were so many officers.
Why didn’t he just admit that Bonamico and Awan get special treatment because they can’t be bothered to deal with them?
It’s no wonder they are out of control and are a regular fixture on the protest circuit.
Nevertheless, it was a perfect day for the annual Walk with Israel.
Like years before, Mayor Olivia Chow gave it a pass, no doubt encouraged by the anti-Semites with her puppeteers in Progress Toronto to stay away.
Premier Doug Ford was nowhere to be seen, even though he purports to love Jews and has a Jewish lawyer and accountant.
Neither PM Mark Carney or any member of his new anti-Semitism committee were there.
But both Chow and Carney made cameo appearances on a stick.
Tafsik, the new up-and-coming Jewish advocacy group, marched with cardboard cutouts, both dressed in Israeli colours and Tafsik shirts. A contingent of Iranians was there to lend their support, dressed in Cyrus the Great t-shirts. (Cyrus the Great was greatly respected for freeing the Jews from Babylonian captivity).
A group of Asians, Indians, Indigenous and Filipinos, all identified with special shirts and signs, also lent their support.
Chow, who is happy to dress up in various costumes and salsa, or tango (badly) at any event that will invite her, has snubbed the Jewish community repeatedly since becoming mayor.
No doubt her deputy mayor, Ausma Malik and the Jew haters at Progress Toronto (her puppeteers) have counselled her to stay away, even if it is an election year. They know her votes won’t come from the Jewish community.
Her opponent, Brad Bradford, marched, however.
As for Carney, who earlier last week breezed into Toronto to give a sermon at Holy Blossom Temple about the out-of-control anti-Semitism in Canada (ignoring the fact that he and his Liberals had much to do with it), he obviously felt he’d done his part.
None of the members of his new anti-Semitism committee showed their faces either.
Premier Doug Ford, who was not graced with a Tafsik likeness, and his caucus were M.I.A. No surprise there. He does not practice what he preaches.
If my community has learned anything over the past nearly three years, it is that we can’t trust our politicians or police to protect us.
But as the amazing showing said, we will not be intimidated by the Jew haters or a group of indifferent police officers.
We even have a sense of humour when it comes to politicians who snub us.
 | A guest post by
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I am always amazed at the restraint and law abiding practices of our Jewish fellow Canadians, either individually or in marches. The same cannot be said for the sharia, Jew hating mobs, that attack them and the self serving activists. This used to be a peaceful, respectful country, before successive lieberal and ndp governments fomented the divisive, racist policies, that are prevalent today in kanada.