Jewish groups call on Crown to take action against terror leader

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OTTAWA — Canadian Jewish groups are calling on the B.C. Prosecution Service to follow through with charges against a Canadian terrorist group leader, particularly after recent social media posts glorifying the gunman who killed two Israeli embassy workers.

Charlotte Kates, a leader of Vancouver-based terror group for Samidoun, was arrested last year for openly lauding the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas terror attacks during a downtown Vancouver anti-Israel protest.

The Crown has yet to lay charges.

“Long Live Oct. 7!” she shouted during the protest last April, of the terror attack that saw scores of Palestinian terrorists storm Israeli towns to conduct a campaign of murder, kidnapping and sexual assault against Israeli men, women and children.

Vancouver police executed a search warrant at Kates’ home last November in connection with that investigation.

Shortly after last week’s murder of two Israeli embassy staffers outside of the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., Kates allegedly took to social media to praise the murders, and called on her supporters to follow in his example.

“All those who want to end the genocide who have come out to condemn, speculate about and degrade Elias Rodriguez (accused of murdering the Israeli embassy staffers) would be well served to think about instead how they can escalate meaningful consequences on the war criminals through organized mass action,” she allegedly wrote on X.

“This should be a moment for self-criticism and deepened action, not for arrogant musings over the rage of many put into action.”

Also attributed to her is a social media post which said those “whose conscience is tormented” by Israel’s operations in Gaza “will find ways to impose accountability.”

The Toronto Sun reached out to both Kates and the BC Prosecution Service for comment.

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Despite her leadership of a proscribed terrorist organization, Kates freely travels to spread her message — most notably, she was an invited guest at February’s funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, where she praised the dead terrorist as a heroic martyr.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) is calling on the Crown to proceed with charges against Kates and to consider her words as an incitement of terror against Canada’s Jewish community.

“Despite being arrested just over a year ago for openly praising the terrorists behind the Oct. 7th massacre, Charlotte Kates — the international coordinator for Samidoun, a designated terrorist group — has yet to be charged,” read a statement.

“Meanwhile, she has travelled the world to receive an award from the Iranian regime, attend the funeral in Beirut of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and advocate on behalf of Hamas in the United Kingdom.”

CIJA says the B.C. Prosecution Service must act without further delay, and as Parliament resumes, are calling on the government to close loopholes in the Criminal Code.

“Now here in Canada she has taken to social media to defend the perpetrator of the antisemitic attack in Washington — calling for escalation and urging others to follow the murderer’s example,” the statement read.

“This is no longer just about glorifying terrorists — it’s about incitement that puts the safety and well-being of all Canadians at risk.”

bpassifiume@postmedia.com
X: @bryanpassifiume