"The article repeats serious accusations about protesters waving terrorist organization flags, chanting hare and intimidating Jewish residents without providing specific examples, identifying the organizations allegedly represented or independently verifying these claims. The article does not distinguish between antisemitic harassment and legitimate political demonstrations opposing Israel's actions in Palestine."
To the National Post editorial team,
I am writing to you on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) to express concern over your article titled “After re-election, Olivia Chow needs to ‘show up’ in order to gain Jewish community’s trust, leaders say.”
I take issue with the following statement by B’nai Brith Canada CEO Simon Wolle.
“Wolle added that there have been ongoing protests in a predominantly Jewish area of the city ‘with masked participants, sometimes waving flags of terrorist organizations, chanting hate, spewing division, and intimidating and harassing Jewish Torontonians.’
There are several journalistic problems here.
The article repeats serious accusations about protesters waving terrorist organization flags, chanting hare and intimidating Jewish residents without providing specific examples, identifying the organizations allegedly represented or independently verifying these claims. The article does not distinguish between antisemitic harassment and legitimate political demonstrations opposing Israel's actions in Palestine.
Readers are not given any information about the nature, purpose or demands of these demonstrations, nor are protest organizers given an opportunity to respond.
Journalistic ethics require attribution in order to meet the standard of accuracy.
By presenting these demonstrations within a broader narrative about rising antisemitism, the article risks reinforcing the idea that pro-Palestinian activism itself constitutes a threat to Jewish communities.
In addition, the headline and article repeatedly refer to the views of Toronto's Jewish community, but the reporting relies overwhelmingly on Simon Wolle from B'nai Brith Canada and statements from CIJA which are pro-Israel lobby groups. Pro-Israel advocacy organizations are not necessarily representative of the diverse political perspectives within Toronto's Jewish community.
This article also fails to meet the standard of balance as it relies on one single-viewpoint perspective.
CJPME demands that the National Post update the article to include independent verification of these claims, and provide context from protest organizers.
I am writing to you on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) to express concern over your article titled “After re-election, Olivia Chow needs to ‘show up’ in order to gain Jewish community’s trust, leaders say.”
I take issue with the following statement by B’nai Brith Canada CEO Simon Wolle.
“Wolle added that there have been ongoing protests in a predominantly Jewish area of the city ‘with masked participants, sometimes waving flags of terrorist organizations, chanting hate, spewing division, and intimidating and harassing Jewish Torontonians.’
There are several journalistic problems here.
The article repeats serious accusations about protesters waving terrorist organization flags, chanting hare and intimidating Jewish residents without providing specific examples, identifying the organizations allegedly represented or independently verifying these claims. The article does not distinguish between antisemitic harassment and legitimate political demonstrations opposing Israel's actions in Palestine.
Readers are not given any information about the nature, purpose or demands of these demonstrations, nor are protest organizers given an opportunity to respond.
Journalistic ethics require attribution in order to meet the standard of accuracy.
By presenting these demonstrations within a broader narrative about rising antisemitism, the article risks reinforcing the idea that pro-Palestinian activism itself constitutes a threat to Jewish communities.
In addition, the headline and article repeatedly refer to the views of Toronto's Jewish community, but the reporting relies overwhelmingly on Simon Wolle from B'nai Brith Canada and statements from CIJA which are pro-Israel lobby groups. Pro-Israel advocacy organizations are not necessarily representative of the diverse political perspectives within Toronto's Jewish community.
This article also fails to meet the standard of balance as it relies on one single-viewpoint perspective.
CJPME demands that the National Post update the article to include independent verification of these claims, and provide context from protest organizers.
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Anthony Issa
Media Analyst
Media Analyst
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