Toronto police make two arrests on Saturday after court denies injunction to stop Al-Quds rally in Toronto

A heavy police presence was evident during the Al-Quds rally held in downtown Toronto on Saturday.

Two arrests were made in the early going. Toronto police said in X post that they were “

on the ground today to uphold the right to demonstrate lawfully while holding those who engage in criminal activity accountable.

”

The rights to assembly and free expression are fundamental here in Canada, but there are laws that must be adhered to, and we will enforce them.
Officers are on the ground today to uphold the right to demonstrate lawfully while holding those who engage in criminal activity… pic.twitter.com/pYfa4welCy

— Toronto Police (@TorontoPolice) March 14, 2026

Tensions between protesters and counter-protesters erupted early, with the police moving in to make an arrest for a demonstration-related offence shortly before 3 p.m., and a second arrest an hour later.

More information about the arrests to be released later was promised in Toronto police X posts.

DEMONSTRATION: (UPDATE)
ADDITIONAL ARREST
University Avenue & Armoury Street
3:51
– A second arrest has been made
– More information to be provided by way of media release at a later time

— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) March 14, 2026

Ontario Premier Doug Ford wrote in an X post on Saturday afternoon that he expected “police to immediately intervene at the first sign of hate, violence or glorification of terrorist organizations.”

Ford expressed disappointment with the court’s decision earlier in the day to deny an injunction to stop the protest: “

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.”

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.
While the judge cited Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, when we talk about rights we…

— Doug Ford (@fordnation) March 14, 2026

Ontario judge Robert Centa denied the provincial government’s attempt to obtain a court injunction. The dismissal of the request arrived less than an hour before the Al-Quds Day rally in downtown Toronto was scheduled to begin. Similar rallies are planned for other Canadian cities.

Ontario’s lawyers were grilled during the Saturday afternoon hearing as they argued the protest was a forum for antisemitism and should be shut down given heightened tensions that have arisen around the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran and recent shoot-ups of three Toronto synagogues and the U.S. Consulate.

We have a heavy police presence in the downtown area today and our officers will be making arrests for anyone breaking the law.
Interfering with officers performing their duties or engaging in violence or any criminal behavior will not be tolerated. pic.twitter.com/C3b80ZxVYJ

— Toronto Police (@TorontoPolice) March 14, 2026

Organizers promoted the event as a call against against war on Iran and Lebanon and contended the injunction was an attempt to silence anti-Israel advocacy and criticism of Israel. A lawyer for the organizers noted during the injunction hearing that they have coordinated the event with police, adding there is no evidence of charges against demonstrators during past Al-Quds rallies.

Al-Quds Day was established by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini following the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Its stated goal is to express solidarity with Palestinians and opposition to Israel’s control of Jerusalem but the global events regularly feature calls for the destruction of Israel and the deaths of Israelis while expressing support for the Iranian regime and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a terrorist group banned in Canada.

• Premier Doug Ford seeking injunction to shut down planned Al-Quds Day rally in Toronto
• ‘National security incident’: Shots fired at U.S. Consulate in Toronto, suspect vehicle image released

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