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Pro-Palestinian protesters clashed with attendees and disrupted a speech by Mayor Olivia Chow during the municipal leader’s annual skating party at Nathan Phillips Square.
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The Sunday afternoon event featured skating, free cookies and hot chocolate, as well as appearances by members of Toronto’s new Professional Women’s Hockey League franchise and Geoff Daybutch, a fire keeper who was to teach those present about the significance of ceremonial fires in Indigenous culture.
It was also supposed to be a chance to “meet and greet” councillors and Chow, who was elected in June during a special byelection.
Chow had already called for the “immediate and unconditional return of all hostages and a ceasefire” in the Israel-Hamas war after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
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But that didn’t stop protesters from disrupting Chow’s speech with chants of “ceasefire now.”
“What you see now is democracy in action,” Chow said in a video posted on X by CTV Toronto’s Rahim Ladhani.
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Video also shows flag-waving protesters pouring onto the skating surface during the party and clashing with revellers, including one man who is followed by activists, called a “terrorist” and told to “back the f— off” after a confrontation with a protester using a bullhorn.
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The incident quickly gained attention on social media, with some people referring to an incident on Saturday at the Hwy. 401 overpass at Avenue Rd., where Toronto Police officers delivered coffee and doughnuts from one group of pro-Palestinian protesters to another.
“Good news for Toronto Police — there’s a Tim Hortons right across the street from Nathan Phillips Square,” Postmedia’s Bryan Passifiume posted on X.
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Added @covidrefugee: “@TPSOperations, coffee run to Nathan Phillips Square stat!!!”
Chow, however, made no mention of the incident in a post on X about the party.
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“Some good fun at today’s new year’s lev(C)e and skating party! Looking forward to a great year (a)head,” her post said.
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