Anti-Israel Oct. 7 event to 'honour martyrs' will not proceed on U of T campus: university - National Post
University College at University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario on Wednesday, September 23, 2026. Photo by Peter Power /Peter PowerArticle contentAn anti-Israel event intended to “honour martyrs” at the University of Toronto on Oct. 7 will no longer be permitted.
A spokesperson for the university told National Post that it has told the recognized student groups involved in organizing the event — one of several planned on Canadian campuses — that it “cannot proceed because of significant safety and operational concerns.”
“These concerns include physical safety risks to participants and to members of the broader university community due to the unsuitability of the space for large gatherings and the online promotion of counter-protests to take place at the same time,” the spokesperson said.
Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.
A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.
The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.
We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again
Oct. 7 marks the third anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack in which 1,200 Israelis were murdered. It was the deadliest attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust. Canadian leaders and Jewish advocacy groups called on U of T and other universities to shut down anti-Israel Oct. 7 events.
“On some Canadian campuses, the third anniversary of October 7 will be marked by protests glorifying the heinous attacks, honouring the terrorists as ‘martyrs’ and calling for intifada — which many of Canada’s allies consider incitement to violence against Jews,” the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said in a statement shared with National Post.
“This glorification of violence and terrorism has no place on campuses and administrations have a responsibility to ensure safe places for learning free from hate, particularly when such events are organized or supported by student groups and unions.”
Dr. David Jacobs, part of U of T’s governing council and president of the Ontario Association of Radiologists, posted his concern about the now-cancelled event on X.
