WARMINGTON: If a grenade doesn't go off in a crowd, does it mean it wasn't real?
Many wonder if a hand grenade noticed along the Walk With Israel event Sunday was real
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Hundreds of armed police officers, 56,000 participating in the Walk With Israel, and one pro-Hamas supporter with a hand grenade.
It was quite a sight — and, thankfully, there was no terror attack.
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It’s still undetermined if it was real or fake, this green camouflage item which appeared to be the weapon of war that can cause casualties to about 15 metres in any direction after it explodes. But what is known is there is no other public event where something like this would be tolerated. There certainly was no shortage of police on hand to investigate. There has been no reports of arrests or seizures concerning this grenade so far.
This offers up yet another example of how Hamas supporters are given so much leeway in Toronto. From occupying Union Station and intersections, and stores and campuses, to halting Ontario’s sustenance supply by blocking the food terminal while dressed to look like jihadist terrorists — like they did Sunday before the walk — they do whatever they want, when they want, to whomever they want.
Mostly they do it without ramifications — many times, under police escort and protection.
Maybe it wasn’t a live grenade? Perhaps something from a film set or a novelty store? Even with all of those police officers on the scene, the masked-up-to-be-anonymous guy with the grenade was given the benefit of the doubt.
Was it real or not? We may never know since, from all accounts gathered to this point, police did not check.
“I told police about it but they just were not interested,” said one of the people who saw the grenade chained to a man’s clothing along the Walk With Israel event Sunday.
Another person said he went to two different police officers — one from the OPP and one from Toronto Police — and was told they were instructed to not engage with the pro-Palestine disrupters. Toronto Police, the OPP or Toronto Fire, which also had members creating a massive line in between walk participants and protesters, have not yet commented.
But numerous pictures and videos from the walk show this man, wearing pro-Palestine clothing and a face covering, having this item.
“If that thing is real and he threw it into a crowd of 56,000 people, there would have been lot of people dead today,” said one person. “It’s insane.”
If this was a starter’s pistol or a replica gun, in another context, it’s hard to imagine that person would not be taken to the ground and handcuffed – the way independent media often are while covering pro-Hamas events. With this appearance of a grenade, it seems the authorities were prepared to take a chance with their own lives and many others that it was a prop.
Like the smoke canisters that are often let off into a crowd, it’s a big risk to let people do whatever they choose in these settings. It’s especially troublesome in light of the terror attack on two Israeli embassy employees in Washington, D.C. last week.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, Premier Doug Ford and Mayor Olivia Chow did not come to this walk but it would be hard to imagine someone displaying a grenade would be able to stand along the route unchecked if they had.
Instead, police “allowed antisemitic double standards against the Jewish community,” said Israel Now’s Meir Weinstein, rightfully adding, “They would never allow any group to disrupt the LGBT or Black communities. Why do they ignore the Jewish community?”
Now, that said, this should not be taken as a harsh criticism of the Toronto Police’s overall effort at the 56th UJA Walk With Israel. Everybody recognizes considering the challenges that, overall, police did a good job in what was an outstanding day for all involved. With just two arrests, and one before it started, it’s importantly to say no one was hurt.
“It was great,” said Councillor James Pasternak, who had raised concerns prior to the event. “Massive police presence, great weather and the few protesters that were there were kept far away. All in all, a good day.”
MP Melissa Lantsman on X wrote, “Thank you to the organizers, law enforcement and most importantly our allies from so many other communities who showed up.”
Fellow MP Roman Baber added: “Amazing morning at the Walk With Israel in the heart of York Centre! Canada’s Jewish community is alive and well.”
But Baber didn’t offer comments only through rose-coloured glasses -– he pointed out the pro-Hamas throng dressed in their war paint, carrying offensive signs and in full disguise.
“Why are they covering their faces?” he asked on X. “What is their intention?”
And perhaps more poignant is why are people permitted to wear disguises, display potential lethal weapons, or partake in terrorist cosplay and not receive the same response that you would see if it was done by a Freedom Convoy trucker or a defying owner of a barbecue restaurant?
You look at overhead photos of this walk and you notice a sea of Israel supporters in blue and white, a huge line of police from many services who came in on overtime, and very few pro-Palestine zealots compared to last year. But it’s hard to overlook both the vitriolic and vulgar gauntlet choke point Jews had to walk through on the route and that a guy was nonchalantly permitted to have a hand grenade hanging from his uniform.
It all goes back to leadership. Many leaders seem to look at the votes first and are prepared to ignore a grenade in their quest for power.
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