On November 25, 2024, a CJPME media analyst submitted a complaint to the Canadian Jewish News (CJN) regarding its misleading claim that “some people were filmed performing Nazi salutes and warning Jewish counter-demonstrators of the coming ‘final solution.’”
However, only one individual, Mai Abdulhadi, was identified as both performing a Nazi salute and referencing the “final solution.”
We argued that presenting these acts as though they were carried out by multiple individuals wrongly suggested that such antisemitic behaviour was widespread among pro-Palestine demonstrators. Such framing that is neither fair nor accurate. Given the widespread efforts to defame Palestine solidarity activists as antisemites, CJPME was alarmed that such an egregious example perpetuated anti-Palestinian racism.
In a landmark decision, the Quebec Press Council upheld CJPME’s complaint, ruling that CJN engaged in “sensationalism” by exaggerating reality and wrongly suggesting broader antisemitic behaviour among pro-Palestine demonstrators.
CJN is now obligated to publish the ruling and notify the Press Council within the next 30 days.