{"id":536448,"date":"2026-03-14T19:03:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T19:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/536448\/"},"modified":"2026-03-14T19:03:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T19:03:09","slug":"judge-dismisses-fords-injunction-bid-allowing-toronto-al-quds-rally-to-proceed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/536448\/","title":{"rendered":"Judge dismisses Ford\u2019s injunction bid, allowing Toronto Al-Quds rally to proceed"},"content":{"rendered":"

A judge has \u201cdismissed\u201d the Ontario government\u2019s request for an injunction to stop the Al-Quds Day rally in downtown Toronto, allowing the demonstration to proceed as planned Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\n

This decision came hours after the Ford government filed an application seeking to block the annual rally, which is set to begin at 3 p.m. near the U.S. Consulate on University Avenue.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe application for an interim interlocutory injunction is dismissed,\u201d Superior Court Justice Robert Centa said. <\/p>\n

\u201cI am not satisfied that the Attorney General of Ontario has met the test for a injunction to prevent all persons from engaging in the Al Quds Day protest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018An absurd attempt to abrogate our rights\u2019<\/p>\n

Stephen Ellis, the legal counsel for the Al-Quds Committee, which is one of the rally\u2019s organizers, said they are \u201cvery excited\u201d by the outcome of today\u2019s injunction, saying they were \u201cconfident that it wasn\u2019t going to succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe expected that (the injunction) wouldn\u2019t succeed because it was an absurd attempt to abrogate our rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of speech so we\u2019re very, very happy. We\u2019re going to exercise our rights today and we\u2019re going to keep struggling until we have freedom in Palestine and everywhere else,\u201d he told CTV News Toronto shortly after the decision was announced.<\/p>\n

Ellis said there\u2019 never been any hate speech or violence at the rally and they\u2019d address it if that occurred.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been doing this for 30 years so if it ever happens we\u2019ll take care of it,\u201d he said, adding he believes this effort to stop today\u2019s rally was \u201c100 per cent politically motivated.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Stephen Ellis, l-Quds rally lawyer Stephen Ellis is the legal counsel for the Al-Quds Committee, which is one of the Toronto rally\u2019s organizers. <\/p>\n

Ford, meanwhile, has responded to the decision with a post on X.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am extremely disappointed that the court has refused to put a stop to Al-Quds Day, which has long been a venue for antisemitism, hatred, intimidation and the glorification of terrorism,\u201d the Premier wrote.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile the judge cited Canada\u2019s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, when we talk about rights we need to be clear that every person has the right to safety and security. We need to be clear that no one in Canada has the right to incite violence or free licence to intimidate and hate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Form also said that it\u2019s \u201cunbelievable\u201d that the judge said Toronto police \u201cdo not need an injunction to preserve the peace.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf that\u2019s the case, I fully expect that the police will immediately intervene at the first sign of hate, violence or glorification of terrorist organizations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI won\u2019t stop working to put an end to the hatred and division that runs too rampant on Canada\u2019s streets. I won\u2019t stop working to protect the greatest province in the greatest country in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

I am extremely disappointed that the court has refused to put a stop to Al-Quds Day, which has long been a venue for antisemitism, hatred, intimidation and the glorification of terrorism.<\/p>\n

While the judge cited Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, when we talk about rights we\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2014 Doug Ford (@fordnation) March 14, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

This is a breaking news update. An earlier version of the story continues below.<\/p>\n

Earlier in the day, a spokesperson for Premier Doug Ford confirmed to CP24 that the province would file the injunction at noon in an attempt to prevent the demonstration from going ahead.<\/p>\n

Ford has argued the event should not be allowed to proceed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis demonstration is nothing more than a breeding ground for hate and antisemitism. It glorifies violence. It celebrates terrorism. It has no place in Ontario. It has no place in Canada,\u201d Ford said in a video posted to social media on Friday.<\/p>\n

This afternoon, I\u2019ve instructed my Attorney General to pursue an injunction against the Al-Quds Day demonstration planned for Toronto.<\/p>\n

Hate, violence and intimidation have no place on the streets of Canada and our government will fight it however we can. pic.twitter.com\/5QbvxxpxOg<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Doug Ford (@fordnation) March 13, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n

The premier added that police should intervene if there are signs of hate, violence or the glorification of terrorist organizations.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe deeply in our fundamental freedom of speech. But nobody in this province has the right to incite violence, and no one has a free license to hate. We won\u2019t stand for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lawyers representing the rally organizers previously said they were confident the government would not succeed in obtaining an injunction.<\/p>\n

Stephen Ellis, legal counsel for the organizers, told CTV News Toronto Friday that the province would not be able to demonstrate that the event poses a threat.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re not going to be able to convince a judge that our march is going to pose a threat to anyone. You have to show some kind of evidence. And they\u2019ve got nothing,\u201d Ellis said.<\/p>\n

He also said the demonstration would remain peaceful.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis demonstration takes place every year, and what it\u2019s about is that it\u2019s a commemoration of the Palestinian struggle for their freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Toronto police have said they are preparing for the demonstration regardless of the legal challenge.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, Supt. Craig Young said officers would activate a \u201cmajor incident command centre\u201d and deploy additional resources around the U.S. Consulate.<\/p>\n

\"\"Craig Young Supt. Craig Young, who oversees Emergency Management and Public Order speaks to media on Thursday March 12, 2026 (CP24 photo). <\/p>\n

\u201cWe have stepped up our resources around the United States Consulate. We do have a specific plan in place for Saturday to protect the U.S. Consulate, and I will leave it at that for now,\u201d Young said.<\/p>\n

Police say their focus will be maintaining public order while allowing demonstrators and counter-protesters to exercise their rights.<\/p>\n

With files from CP24\u2019s Bryann Aguilar and CTV News Toronto\u2019s Natalie Johnson…<\/p>\n