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Const. Farhan Ali has been hit with three counts each of sexual assault and assault and has been suspended with pay
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Published Mar 10, 2026 • Last updated 8 hours ago • 3 minute read
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Toronto Police Consts. Farhan Ali, left, and Haroon Siddiqui appearing on a now-deleted episode of the TPS-produced podcast “Project Olive Branch.” Photo by ScreenshotArticle content
A Toronto Police constable has been suspended following an arrest by Peel Regional Police on charges of assault and sexual assault.
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“Farhan Ali, 39, has been arrested and charged” with “three counts of sexual assault, three counts of assault and four counts of mischief,” Peel cops said.
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It is believed the veteran of more than 14 years with Toronto Police was arrested in February. Sources say these allegations are not directly linked to anything while in uniform or on duty.
Was in video that created a stir
If the name seems familiar, Ali was in the news in 2025 when he and another officer, who were part of the Toronto Police’s community partnership program known as the Muslim Liaison Unit, ran into some controversy with a video they recorded in uniform with the police logo front and centre on a table.
In the conversation, as the Toronto Sun’s Bryan Passifiume reported, the two pushed back on criticism of Toronto’s anti-Israel rallies as an example of “Islamophobia.”
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Said Ali: “When we have somebody labelling a certain group as something they’re not, all of the sudden now an Islamophobic undertone.”
The other officer, Const. Haroon Siddiqui, who is not involved in this criminal probe and remains with Toronto Police in good standing, said to Ali on the podcast: “A lot of people, after Oct. 7, started learning about Islam,” and “there have been a lot of ‘reverts’ through this whole process … the amount of people reverting to Islam is unbelievable, they’re educating themselves and saying, ‘(Why) is it that Muslims are being targeted, and why are they being targeted?’”
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Toronto Police apologized
The podcast was removed from circulation and Chief Myron Demkiw apologized for it being recorded and presented on social media.
“We acknowledge that a recent episode of our podcast, Project Olive Branch, has caused significant upset and concern in the Jewish community and beyond. That was not our intention and we apologize. The podcast has been removed,” Toronto Police said at the time.
Demkiw added: “We recognize the Jewish community’s profound pain and anguish as a result of October 7th and the ensuing rise of antisemitism. I have personally heard from the community about the impact of this podcast, and I’m truly sorry. Our commitment to protecting our Jewish communities remains unwavering.”
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At the time, Michele Stock, Ontario vice-president for the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA,) questioned why the video post was ever permitted.
“Its creation and uploading raise important questions about the oversight and appropriateness of its content,” Stock wrote, adding “the comments made … lead us to question how such remarks were allowed to be published on an approved Toronto Police platform, with both officers in uniform, without a proper review of their potential impact.”
Reaction to the video
It was not taken well by the Jewish community, who in addition to dealing with the horrors of 1,200 people being slaughtered on Oct. 7, 2023, still had hostages who’d been kidnapped by Hamas.
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“Many people in the Jewish community were concerned to see a serving Toronto Police officer appear in uniform on that podcast. Some of the comments and associations surrounding it left members of the community extremely uncomfortable,” said Matthew Taub, CEO of Unapologetically Jewish.
“The concern here isn’t about motives or the legal process now before the courts. It’s about professionalism and maintaining public confidence in policing.”
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The criminal allegations toward Ali have not been tested in court. He is to be considered innocent until proven guilty.
But he will not be deployed to duty by Toronto Police during this process.
“PC Farhan Ali is suspended with pay as per the requirements of the Community Safety and Police Act of Ontario,” said Toronto Police spokesperson Stephanie Sayer.
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