Toronto man who took part in pro-Palestinian protests facing terrorism charge: police
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TORONTO – Toronto police say a man is facing a terrorism charge after an investigation into his alleged actions at two pro-Palestinian protests in 2024.
Investigators allege the man made public statements calling for harm against Israeli and Jewish people at the demonstrations, which took place in May and September of that year.
Police say they seized several devices while searching a Toronto home in March of last year.
They say officers and RCMP then gathered evidence they allege shows the man associated with the designated terrorist group Hamas and acted for its benefit.
Police say Ahmad Hassan Hajahmad, 33, was arrested Tuesday and charged with participating in or contributing to the activities of a terrorist group.
Police say they cannot provide further details on the alleged incidents due to a publication ban.
In a statement, Hajahmad’s lawyer says his client is presumed innocent and has no connection to Hamas or any other foreign group.
“He faces a single charge arising from speaking at public demonstrations. No violence, no weapon, no one harmed. Speaking out at a protest about the killing of civilians is protected expression, not terrorism,” Mohamed El Rashidy said.
The lawyer noted police have accused Hajahmad of advocating hatred and harm during the rallies but have not charged him with promoting hatred or any other hate-related offence.
“We’ll be looking closely at how and why this case came to be, and we’re confident it won’t hold up when measured against the law,” he said.
The Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks on Israel killed around 1,200 people and saw more than 250 people taken hostage.
Gaza’s Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government, says Israel’s retaliatory offensive after the Oct. 7 attack has killed more than 73,000 people. The health authority does not give a breakdown between civilians and militants.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 22, 2026.
—With files from The Associated Press