Increased Police Presence in Montreal as October 7th Anniversary of Israel-Hamas Conflict Approaches

Montreal police are increasing their presence citywide in preparation for the one-year anniversary of the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7.

Deputy Chief Vincent Richer informed the media that they have been in communication with the Jewish and Arab-Muslim communities in the city and will concentrate their efforts on places of worship in the coming days.

Various protests and vigils are scheduled for the upcoming weekend, including one outside McGill University, where students previously protested by setting up an encampment demanding the school sever ties with Israel.

McGill has announced restricted access to its campuses from Oct. 5 to 7, moving some classes online to anticipate potential tensions.

Over the past year, Montreal has seen more than 340 demonstrations related to the Gaza conflict, resulting in over 100 arrests by the police.

Richer stated that additional officers were deployed starting Oct. 1 and will continue this increased presence for the next 24 days.

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Earlier this week, police apprehended five individuals in Montreal in separate incidents with incendiary devices, purportedly linked to the Middle East conflict.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, there have been 288 reported hate crimes in Montreal, with 213 targeting the Jewish community and 75 the Arab-Muslim community. Forty-one individuals have been charged with hate crimes.

Richer emphasized, “We want to ensure the safety of Montreal residents.”