Canada: Imam's lecture leads to hate-speech complaint

The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre (FSWC) has filed a hate-speech complaint with Toronto police about yet another imam who recently allegedly called for the elimination of Israelis and Jews at an annual protest known to promote anti-Semitism.

Maulana Syed Mohammad Zaki Baqri of the Pickering-based Council of Islamic Guidance and the corresponding Al Mahdi Centre allegedly told the June 24 Al Quds Day rally in a combination of English and Arabic that Jews and Israelis need to be eliminated for what they’ve apparently done to the people of Gaza.

“The systematic elimination of Jews ... Israelis, Zionists should know ... It is the law that whoever oppresses, he has to be eliminated. One day or another,” the imam is heard saying to the crowd, several of whom are waving anti-Israel placards.

FSWC CEO Avi Benlolo said the complaint was filed two weeks ago with Toronto police hate crimes unit after their staff videotaped the proceedings of the event, which occurred at the Toronto-owned park north of Wellesley St. and Queen’s Park proper. He said some 2,000 people attended, including students and youngsters.

Meaghan Gray of the Toronto police confirmed their hate crimes unit is reviewing the FSWC complaint.......

He said more and more incidents of hate speech are coming to light because hate speech charges are not being laid by the police. “This is creating a precedent ... it is allowing people to have the freedom to preach hate,” he said.

Benlolo said the charge laid recently by the Montreal police hate crimes unit against Sheikh Musa Al Nasr should provide the Toronto police “with the impetus” to do the same.

SOURCE