Three arrested after Jewish senior attacked Sunday at pro-Israel rally in Toronto

The CJN Daily with Ellin Bessner

Toronto police have arrested and charged three people—including two pro-Israel protesters—in connection with a violent incident at a weekly community rally in Toronto that saw an 88-year-old Jewish volunteer beaten and thrown to the ground. It happened on Sunday, Aug. 18, at the event held on Bathurst Street at Sheppard Avenue West.

Video from the attack shows a car come to a stop beside the crowd of approximately 100 people waving Israeli flags. A young passenger exits the car, scuffles with the senior citizen, beats him, then picks him up and slams him into the street. He fell centimetres away from the wheels of a Toronto city transit bus that happened to be stopped at a red light. The senior was badly cut and bruised, and had to be taken to hospital with what police have called "non-life-threatening injuries".

Police have charged three people, but will not be releasing more details while the investigation is underway. However, the organizer of the pro-Israel rally tells The CJN Daily that, aside from the attacker, police charged two members of his group, too, after some people reacted violently when they saw what had been done to the elderly gentleman.

Guidy Mamann joins the show to explain what exactly happened—and why he won't cancel the weekly rallies he helps organize.

What we talked about

• Read the Toronto Police Service social media post about the arrests and charges
• Learn more about pro-Israel rallies that popped up across Canada after Oct. 7, in The CJN
• Meet the Canadians knitting for IDF soldiers and running for the hostages, on The CJN Daily

Credits

• Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner)
• Production team: Zachary Kauffman (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer)
• Music: Dov Beck-Levine

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