Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced backlash during his recent visit to a mosque in Toronto over his response to the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The video of the Prime Minister meeting the angry mob has received widespread attention and gone viral on various social media platforms.
According to The Toronto SunTrudeau visited a mosque in Toronto’s Etobicoke neighborhood on Friday, a visit that the prime minister’s office had not told the media about in advance and was still not on his public itinerary as of Friday evening. However, the Prime Minister’s Office later confirmed Trudeau’s visit to the Toronto International Muslim Organization, saying it was to show support for those in the Muslim community affected by events in the Middle East.
Several people posted the video to not to be allowed to speak at the mosque. the stage. The video shows Trudeau addressing the dozens of attendees and thanking them for allowing him to “pray alongside you during this difficult time.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau embarrassed and rejected at the Canadian Mosque pic.twitter.com/8NUhjYrzyr
— Mohammed Hijab (@mohammed_hijab) October 20, 2023
The video also showed protesters gathering outside the mosque as Prime Minister Trudeau left. The protesters urged the prime minister to call for a ceasefire in the conflict.
“Everyone is hurt and hurting; everyone mourns; everyone is afraid of what this means,” Trudeau told reporters in Brampton, Ont., on Friday when asked if his group disagreed on how the Liberals should respond.
The Toronto Sun reported that Toronto-area Liberal MP Salma Zahid, chair of the Canada-Palestine Parliamentary Friendship Group, had written a letter to the Canadian Prime Minister outlining certain demands in consideration of 33 MPs.
The letter asks Canada to join calls for an immediate ceasefire, help facilitate the opening of a humanitarian corridor and stand up for international law. It was signed by 23 Liberal MPs, eight NDP MPs and both Green Party MPs.
“International law is clear that innocent civilians and anyone not participating in the fighting should under no circumstances be attacked and should be spared and protected,” the letter said.
On Thursday, about a dozen Muslim, Jewish and Arab lawmakers from the Liberal caucus met to discuss the conflict.
Israel declared war on Hamas after the Palestinian group killed 1,400 Israelis in a brutal attack on October 7. Hamas, which Canada considers a terrorist organization, is in control of the Gaza Strip, it said The Toronto Sun.
Tensions have risen in the Middle East as Israel has retaliated with air strikes and cut off the Palestinian territory’s access to water, food and electricity. The United Nations says this violates international humanitarian law.
(With input from agencies)