"The omission of information about the Jewish Defense League in this article not only represents a failure to provide readers with the most basic context about what is happening at these encampments, but it is a dangerous omission that very well may embolden members and attract new ones who are not aware of the violent and terroristic history of this group."
May 9, 2024
Dear Sandra E. Martin, Andrea Baillie, and Tim Cook,
I’m writing to express serious concern about your coverage of the Jewish Defense League in the article, “Pro-Palestinian protesters at McGill University organize for another week,” by Canadian Press, which appeared in Globe and Mail on May 5, 2024.
The article largely focuses on how Gaza solidarity encampments allegedly make “some Jewish students feel unsafe” and how some express “concern about reports of threats, discriminatory language and hate speech.”
In one paragraph, it is mentioned that “dozens of counterprotesters from the Jewish Defense League gathered near the Toronto encampment, waving Israeli flags.”
Thus, pro-Palestine protesters are framed as threatening to some, and the Jewish Defense League is portrayed as “counterprotesters” merely waving flags.
What is wrong with this? The Jewish Defense League is considered a terrorist organization by the FBI. It is an organization that promotes violence against Arabs and has carried out countless attacks.
The Canadian Press’s article, which appeared in more than one hundred newspapers conveniently overlooks this fact. The script was modified for radio and television as well. Canadian audiences have been bombarded with allegations of pro-Palestine protesters being the threat, but when a pro-Israel terror group shows up to intimate protesters, the media downplays the incident. Even this week, the cousin of the founder for the Jewish Defense League, the extremist Meir Kahane, drove his car into a crowd of pro-Palestine protesters.
The omission of information about the Jewish Defense League in this article not only represents a failure to provide readers with the most basic context about what is happening at these encampments, but it is a dangerous omission that very well may embolden members and attract new ones who are not aware of the violent and terroristic history of this group.
I insist that this article is updated to reflect the truth about the Jewish Defense League and that the Canadian Press take steps to ensure such a mistake is not made again.
Sincerely,
Jason Toney
Director of Media Advocacy