New charges were laid against Toronto anti-Israel activists who stormed a building hosting a lecture by IDF veterans in November, the Toronto Police Service announced on Friday.
Activists Qabil Ibrahim, Fatimah Mugni, Nicole Baiton, and Kiana Alexis were among the six protesters who had previously been charged for their role in the incident in which an IDF veteran guest speaker was wounded at a Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Students Supporting Israel (SSI) off-campus event, but faced fresh charges on Monday.
Ibrahim, who had allegedly used a drill bit to smash an interior glass door being braced shut by the veteran to prevent entry to intruding protesters, was charged with taking part in a riot while masked on Monday. The 26-year-old Toronto resident had previously been charged with forcible entry, assault, unlawful assembly while masked, property damage, and interference.
Mugni and Baiton were both charged with public incitement of hatred against Israelis on Monday. Both were also charged alongside Kiana Alexis with unlawful assembly while masked, participation in a riot while masked, and mischief, interference with the lawful enjoyment of property.
These allegations were made in addition to prior charges against all three for forcible entry and unlawful assembly. The 25-year-old Baiton and the 22-year-old Alexis had previously been charged with obstruction of an officer.
TMU opened investigation against SSI
SSI founder Ilan Sinelnikov said that the organization was happy to know that law enforcement was still pursuing justice after six protesters who broke the law, even as universities continued to "enable Jew hatred and Anti Zionism."
Sinelnikov explained that as police were investigating the incident, TMU had opened an investigation against SSI to see if they had broken policies by hosting IDF veterans off campus.
"Canada turned into one of the most hostile campus environments for Zionist and Jewish students. From TMU to British Columbia and Montreal," said Sinelnikov.
Students for Justice in Palestine TMU had organized the "emergency rally" to prevent the hosting of "Zionist murderers" at SSI TMU's "Combat on College" event.
"Our administrations refuse to take action," read an Instagram post by SJP TMU just before the incident. "War criminals will never be welcome in our communities."
The event was part of a broader Ontario college tour, giving students the opportunity to hear from an American-Israeli about life in Israel since the October 7 Massacre.
Masked activists broke into the building, leading participants to barricade entrance ways to protect themselves. As one speaker braced the door, its glass was shattered, cutting his arm. The veteran said that he was hit in the head as he tried to prevent the keffiyeh-clad activists from entering through the shattered door. Video shows the veteran grabbing and pushing the activists out of another door after they tried to storm in.
A participant said that the incident terrified the young students in attendance, who were told to hide.
The Students for Justice in Palestine TMU chapter, which had called for protests against the veteran lecturer, claimed that when law enforcement arrived, they shoved and hit protesters outside the building with batons before following them into a subway station to pin them to the ground and arrest them.
At the time, TMU condemned "any acts of aggression, intimidation, or violence," while some politicians, including NDP MP Heather McPherson, called for universities to prevent such events and for border services to screen IDF veterans entering the country.
Mathilda Heller contributed to this report.