MONTREAL – A video posted on X by independent journalist Natasha Graham, who uses the handle @NatashaMontreal, shows a speaker at a rally in Montrealโs Old City urging supporters to louder chants of โit is truly jihadโ while the crowd responded โvictory or martyrdom.โ
The clip, circulated widely on social media, identifies the speaker in some posts as Iyad Abuhamed of a group known as MTL4Palestine. The video captures repeated calls that attendees described as celebrating October 7 and calling for a liberated Al Aqsa.
The mainstream media and progressive politicians want you to believe that pro-Hamas foreigners are "peaceful protesters" and that their prostrations of conquest in front of the Cenotaph and Notre-Dame Basilica are "Prayer."
— Natasha Montreal (@NatashaMontreal) September 8, 2025
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Once againโฆ pic.twitter.com/hoXdLn4fWP
The demonstrations have taken place repeatedly on the steps of the Notre-Dame Basilica and near the Cenotaph.
Independent media footage and eyewitness accounts show large, sometimes confrontational, crowds and chanting that many observers and Jewish organizations have described as openly pro-Hamas or celebratory of the October 7 attacks.
The Independent Press Gallery of Canada has raised concerns about how police have managed these events, as well as the safety of journalists covering them.
The gallery said police actions at recent gatherings included preventing reporters from filming and, in some cases, detaining or threatening journalists who were documenting demonstrations.
Local coverage and independent outlets report clashes between protesters and police at some events. Video posted online shows police using pepper spray and other crowd control measures to disperse demonstrations that became disorderly.
City officials and law enforcement have faced pressure from community groups to address what some Jewish and civic leaders call a pattern of demonstrations that cross the line from political protest into endorsement of extremist violence.
Several commentators and advocacy groups have urged authorities to distinguish protected political expression from incitement and to enforce public order laws consistently.
Montrealโs protests reflect broader tensions in Canadian cities over the Israel-Gaza war and the anniversary of October 7.
Independent reporting shows that some pro-Palestinian gatherings have featured chants and banners that critics say endorse the eradication of Israel or praise violent acts. Protest organizers, by contrast, often describe their actions as demonstrations of solidarity or religious observance.
This article is based on verified information from social media posts and independent reporting by journalists on the ground, and statements from press watchdogs and regional outlets.