"By repeating these unverified and inflammatory claims, the Toronto Star not only fails to meet journalistic standards of accuracy but contributes to a harmful narrative that unfairly vilifies peaceful demonstrators. I demand that the Star issue a correction or clarification acknowledging that the protest did not block or endanger a medical emergency and that paramedics and police acted appropriately."
June 11, 2025
Dear Ms. MacIntyre, Mr. McQueen and the Toronto Star editorial team,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) to express my concerns regarding serious factual errors and misleading representations in the June 11, 2025 opinion piece by Mark McQueen, titled “Will protests over Israel-Hamas get ugly in Toronto? Only if police refuse to act.”
The first issue is in regards to the columnist’s reference to an alleged ambulance delay during a pro-Palestine protest at Yonge and Bloor. Mr. McQueen asserts that demonstrators obstructed an ambulance transporting an eight-year-old in crisis to Sick Kids Hospital, implying that protestors endangered the child’s life. This account is factually inaccurate and misrepresents the reality of the incident.
Video evidence and multiple independent reports, including a detailed thread by journalist Dave Gray-Donald from The Grind, confirm that the ambulance had its lights flashing but no siren which is a clear indication of stable vital signs. According to Toronto Paramedic Services, there was no request for emergency clearance, and the ambulance was rerouted with minimal delay. The patient was not in medical jeopardy and, according to a family member quoted during a radio segment that fueled the story, was “out of the woods” by the time of transport. This manufactured controversy was platformed by reactionary commentators from postmedia tabloids like the Toronto Sun seeking to discredit the protest movement and shift public focus from its purpose of opposing Israel’s genocide in Gaza and commemorating the Nakba.
By repeating these unverified and inflammatory claims, the Toronto Star not only fails to meet journalistic standards of accuracy but contributes to a harmful narrative that unfairly vilifies peaceful demonstrators. I demand that the Star issue a correction or clarification acknowledging that the protest did not block or endanger a medical emergency and that paramedics and police acted appropriately.
My second concern involves Mr. McQueen’s reliance on commentary from Caryma Sa’d, described as a “defence lawyer and independent journalist.” This description is highly misleading. While Ms. Sa’d is a licensed lawyer, she is not affiliated with any recognized media institution and has no formal journalistic credentials. More importantly, her credibility has been seriously undermined by multiple incidents of misconduct including harassment, stalking a journalist and associating herself with alt-right personalities.
The Canadian Anti-Hate Network (CAHN) has publicly condemned Ms. Sa’d for what they describe as a campaign of harassment and discriminatory conduct, including targeting their staff at their homes and identifying nearby Jewish businesses in a video post, an act deemed antisemitic by the Law Society of Ontario. An investigation by the LSO found that Ms. Sa’d engaged in conduct that tends to bring discredit upon the legal profession. Moreover, her defamation-style lawsuit against CAHN was struck in its entirety by the Federal Court for lacking any reasonable cause of action, and she was ordered to pay costs.
Given this record, I am shocked that the Toronto Star is presenting Ms. Sa’d as a credible, neutral authority on public safety and protest dynamics. This is incredibly irresponsible on your behalf and peddles misinformation. If her perspective is to be included, readers deserve to be informed of the context that seriously calls into question her reliability and motives.
In light of these concerns, I respectfully request that the Toronto Star correct the factual inaccuracies regarding the ambulance incident and re-evaluate how it presents sources such as Ms. Sa’d in this article and future reporting. These changes are necessary to uphold the journalistic standards of accuracy, fairness, and integrity that readers of the Star should be able to expect.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Anthony Issa
Media Analyst
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East