Surge of 'violent rhetoric' by 'extremist actors' since October 7: CSIS

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OTTAWA – The Israel-Hamas war has led to an increase in “violent rhetoric” from “extremist actors” that could incite some in Canada to violence, Canada's security intelligence service warns.

The statement comes as newly released documents describe discussions between the intelligence agency, the federal Department of Public Safety and Muslim and Jewish leaders last fall about how to respond to a rise in hate crimes fueled by conflict.

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“While it is not easy to predict the long-term consequences of the current crisis, it is clear that this conflict has created tension in our society,” wrote Eric Balsam.

“Following the Hamas attack, violent rhetoric by extremist actors has increased and as the conflict continues, these developments may influence some individuals' willingness to engage in violence.”

The agency's job is to monitor and identify any threats and alert the government. This does not include legitimate protests and dissent protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Balsam added.

Documents released to the Canadian press under the Access to Information Act provide summaries of separate discussions between federal officials with Jewish and Muslim leaders about the ongoing domestic unrest.

One such document states that Canadian security intelligence officials “assure all participants that they will continue to monitor threats and look for evidence of planned attacks.”

The agency continues to speak with leaders of the Muslim and Jewish communities to hear their concerns, Balsam said. Director David Vigneault met with the federal anti-Semitism and Islamophobia commissioner last fall, he added.

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During the meetings, federal officials heard concerns from Muslim and Arab leaders about the public rhetoric surrounding the war, including what one participant called the government's “silence” about how the situation in the Middle East affects the safety and security of Palestinians. Other Muslims living in Canada.

Concerns were also expressed about freedom of speech.

“Activists are facing backlash, being labeled as anti-Semitic, chanting things like 'Palestine will be free from the river to the sea' and calling for an 'intifada'.

In Arabic, intifada is a word with meanings that include the destruction of evil. In English, it is often associated with two periods of particular intensity in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which included a series of attacks by Palestinian terrorist groups on public places in Israel.

Community leaders also told officials that activists were being “severely monitored” and that “their right to free speech was being stifled,” the memo said.

Internal emails released to RCMP Commissioner Mike Duchem, obtained through access to information laws, show officers recorded slogans and slogans posted as part of a pro-Palestinian protest in Toronto in late October.

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“Still legal and doesn't look like a move to violence,” Deputy Commissioner Mark Flynn wrote.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other Jewish leaders have condemned examples of protesters praising Hamas' October 7 attack on southern Israel at rallies across Canadian cities.

One such incident is being investigated by Ottawa police.

The documents describe how federal officials consistently heard from Jewish leaders about the need for police to do more to stop “hateful rhetoric at rallies.” He pays particular attention to the use of the term “Zionist”.

“Since the vast majority of Jews consider themselves Zionists and believe in the need for a Jewish state…calls for attacks against Zionists should be seen as calls for attacks against Jews.”

The memo said the RCMP is equipping its front-line members with a “toolkit” that explains the historical context of the conflict to help officers “identify signs of overt and covert hatred that may appear in protests.”

The national force also urged local police to focus not only on synagogues and community centers, but also on Jewish-owned businesses and schools, according to a Nov. 29 brief.

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The documents also show that Public Safety Canada is contacting universities “to discuss reducing tensions and anti-Semitism on campuses.” He later said he would send information to schools about a “dangerous environment.”

In the months since, protesters have set up pro-Palestinian encampments at McGill University in Montreal, the University of Ottawa, the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and, most recently, the University of Toronto.

The school administration said that hate speech will not be tolerated and warned that students will be punished if they violate university policies.

With files from Dylan Robertson.

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