A Toronto man has been charged with a terrorism-related offence after police say that he made public statements advocating for “harm against members of the Israeli and Jewish communities.” Police say that the allegations date back to pro-Palestinian demonstrations that were held in the Bay and Front streets area on both May 25 and Sept. 7, 2024. It is alleged that the suspect attended the demonstrations and used amplification devices to make statements which police say “advocated for the detestation and harm against members of the Israeli and Jewish communities.” Police say that a search warrant was executed at a Toronto residence in connection with the investigation on March 7, 2025, at which point multiple electronic devices were seized. Investigators with the Toronto police Hate Crime Unit and the RCMP’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) then gathered evidence supporting an allegation that the accused “acted for the benefit of, and in association with, Hamas, a designated terrorist group,” police say. Ahmad Hassan Hajahmad, 33, of Toronto, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with one count of participating in or contributing to the activities of a terrorist group. “Investigations into criminal offences committed at demonstrations do not end when the event is over. As this investigation progressed, we worked closely with our INSET partners to pursue the terrorism charge warranted by the investigation,” Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw said in a news release. “These complex investigations underscore the importance of continuing to strengthen our Counter Terrorism Security Unit so we can identify and investigate evolving threats to public safety. We will continue to hold those who break the law accountable, no matter how long it takes.” Police say that the Attorney General of Ontario and the Government of Canada both provided consent to proceed with the terror-related charge. However, a lawyer for Hajahmad told CTV News that his client “has no connection to Hamas or any other foreign group.” The lawyer went on to point out that Hajahmad “is not charged with promoting hatred, or with any hate offence at all.” “Mr. Hajahmad is presumed innocent and has no connection to Hamas or any other foreign group. He faces a single charge arising from speaking at public demonstrations. No violence, no weapon, no one harmed. Speaking out at a protest about the killing of civilians is protected expression, not terrorism,” Mohamed El Rashidy said. “The police told the media he advocated hatred and harm but he is not charged with that. We’ll be looking closely at how and why this case came to be, and we’re confident it won’t hold up when measured against the law.” The accused appeared in court on Tuesday. In a statement, the CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) described the allegation that the suspect was acting in association with Hamas as “chilling.” “Credit to Toronto Police and the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) for pursuing this investigation, which stemmed from activity at pro-Palestinian demonstrations,” Noah Shack said. “Governments and authorities across Canada must do more to confront those who are radicalizing people in our streets to support violence and promote terrorist organizations, and ensure police and national security agencies have the counter-terrorism resources they need to enforce the law and keep Canadians safe.”
