A Conservative MP has expressed strong disapproval of an anti-Israel protest that occurred in a Jewish neighborhood in Toronto on Sunday. Melissa Lantsman took to social media to voice her concerns, stating, "For those arguing that this is a normal protest: the consulate is on Bloor Street, nowhere near here. The only reason to show up in this neighborhood mostly masked up is to intimidate Jews where they live."

The protest unfolded in the Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue area, approximately a 30-minute drive from the Consulate General of Israel, located at Yonge and Bloor Streets. Lantsman criticized the Toronto Police for allowing the protest to proceed and noted the silence from local politicians. She remarked, "It’s arrogant and yet completely normalized and clearly has nothing to do with Israel anymore."

Footage captured by lawyer and independent journalist Caryma Sa’d depicted protesters, some wearing masks and keffiyehs, carrying Palestinian flags as they marched through the residential area. One local resident shouted from his car, "Get out of my neighborhood," while another driver yelled, "Shame!" as the protest passed.

Despite a ceasefire in the Middle East last month, protests have continued. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) reported that a protest on November 9 aimed to "intimidate those who stand with our community."

Toronto police confirmed that protests have been ongoing since last year. Josh Landau, the director of government relations in Ontario for CIJA, stated, "This is not about events overseas. This is about violent extremism taking root here in Canada." He highlighted a rise in extremist rhetoric, intimidation, and violence, noting incidents such as pro-Hamas graffiti and vandalism targeting synagogues.

Former MP Kevin Vuong criticized the double standard in allowing such protests in a Jewish community. He questioned, "Would we let racists dress up like the Ku Klux Klan & march through Little Jamaica or neighborhoods home to #Toronto’s Black community? Of course not — so why do our leaders allow terrorist cosplayers to do the same to Jews?"

The Toronto Police Service stated that there were no arrests made during the protest on November 16. They emphasized that the demonstrations at Bathurst and Sheppard have been occurring for over a year, with police present every Sunday to ensure public safety. The police reiterated that individuals have a Charter-protected right to peaceful assembly, as long as it remains lawful.

Toronto lawyer Ryan O’Connor labeled the protesters as "amoral," asserting that they were intentionally disturbing a Jewish neighborhood while marching in front of a synagogue founded by Holocaust survivors. A photo from the protest shared by Sa’d showed demonstrators walking in front of the Lodzer Centre Congregation, established by Holocaust survivors from Lodz, Poland, in the 1950s.