Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center Protests Planned Antisemitic Rally by Hate Group at Queen's Park

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - July 30, 2012) - In response to the news that a virulently anti-Israel Shia Muslim group is planning to hold an antisemitic hate rally at Queen's Park later this summer, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) is urging Queen's Park to turn down an application for the rally promoting war, death and a fanatic hatred of Jews.

"Last year's al-Quds demonstration that featured rabid anti-Israel speaker Zafar Bangash, whose message, 'Inshallah I see that day when we, the Muslims, will march on Palestine and liberate Palestine . . . under Islamic law,' was gleefully applauded by his pro-Iranian supporters, took Ontarians by surprise and caused a great deal of embarrassment," said Avi Benlolo, President and CEO of FSWC. "Now that we know a similar protest promoting the elimination of the Jewish state and imposing Islamic Law on the land of Israel is planned for this summer, there is no excuse for Queen's Park to support such a display of hate and antisemitism on the lawn of the provincial legislature."

Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center believes that while free speech is an essential component of a democratic society, Queen's Park should not sanction organizations, particularly those supporting the murderous rulers of Iran who have pledged to destroy Israel, by permitting the use of public property for such a purpose; as such, we urge provincial authorities to refuse the application for this rally to ensure Ontario's communal spaces remain free of hate.