É«É«À² police say 10 people have been arrested after a rally against Canadian immigration policies clashed with counter-demonstrators at Christie Pits Park on Saturday.Ìý
Shortly after noon, dozens of the “Canada First Rally” supporters started gathering at the southwest corner of the park and were surrounded by droves of counter-protesters who said there’s no room for racists in this one of the city’s most diverse communities.
Waving placards that said “My Canadian Value: Inclusion and Multiculturalism” and “Fascists Go Away,” the pro-immigration crowd chanted “You will never get your way. Immigrants are here to stay.”
Outnumbered, the Canada First Rally camp, waving Canadian flags and playing the national anthem, had to be barricaded behind dozens of police officers and their bikes for their safety.
“When I bring out these patriots that you see around me right now, this is to put us in the forefront for a change,” said Joe Anidjar, who organized the Canada First Rally, which called for an end to mass immigration and “deportations now.”
He said the country is already “unrecognizable and I know many people share that same sentiment. It has to stop. I’m not saying no to immigrants. I say we need to slow it down. We need to be more careful about who we bring into this country.”
Canadians’ support for immigration and immigrantsÌýhas declined the last couple of years,Ìýfueled by the global affordability crisis and economic uncertainty triggered by the disruptions of the pandemic and more recently the international tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.
Immigrants, particularly international students and foreign workers, have been blamed forÌýthe housing crisis, a strained health-care system and suppressing wage increases.ÌýIn response, the governmentÌýslashed the 2025 intakes of new permanent residents by 21 per centÌýto 395,000; new study permit holders by 10 per cent to 305,900; and new work permit holders by 16 per cent to 367,750.
A long-term tracking poll last year foundÌý58 per cent Canadians said there’s too much immigration, up from 44 per cent in 2023 and 27 per cent in 2022. It was the first time in a quarter of century a majority of Canadians believed the country has accepted too many immigrants,Ìýafter years of a pro-immigration consensus in the country.
The Canada FirstÌýRally drew headlines and condemnationÌýwhen it was first announced in August. Organizers said they are looking for “true Canadian patriots” who “can’t stand what is happening to our beautiful country”Ìýto advocate against immigration and undocumented workers.
Ten people were arrested at the demonstrations, including at leastÌýone man for assault,ÌýpoliceÌýÌýon Saturday afternoon. A portion of Bloor Street was also shut down around Christie Street as demonstrators collected on the roadway.
In the weeks leading up to the rally, counter-demonstrations were also planned.
“Christie Pits is for the people, not for racists,” organizers of the “Bring everyone you know and let’s make it clear: there is no space for hate at Christie Pits Park.”
The counter-rally’s description says the park is an important space for vulnerable groups such as migrants, invoking Christie Pits’ history that includes an infamous 1933 riot that broke out between Nazi sympathizers and Jewish and Italian locals after gang members displayed a swastika flag during a softball game.
Deana Ladd, a co-organizer of the counter-protest, said Christie Pits is a diverse neighbourhood, next to the Koreatown neighbourhood and surrounded by the Latinx, Ethiopian and Eritrean communities. Locals don’t believe in the racist ideology and are upset about the Canada First Rally in their midst, she added.
“Christie Pits is a park which many immigrant communities celebrate and come together and spend time with families and children,” said Ladd, who lives in the area and is also the executive director of theÌýWorkers Action Centre.
“This is all very reminiscent and coming out of the Freedom Convoy stuff and what’s happening within Trump’s America.”
She said more than 150 people including musicians, choir members, programmers of children’s activities and others volunteered to support the counter-rally. A community member evenÌýdonated an ice cream truck to give out free ice cream.
The counter event, she said, was to show that the community does not believe in misinformation or the stereotypes that migrants are freeloaders, and is opposed to scapegoating, which she felt was emboldened by the racism spewed by politicians amid an economic crisis.Ìý
“When people can’t make ends meet, when housing and food prices are so expensive, and people are losing jobs because of the tariff situation that Trump has created, and the high inflationary costs, instead of looking at their own policies, the fingers get pointed to people who are visible and vulnerable,” she said.
“Racism is used as a strategic tool to have us pointing the finger at each other instead of the real people who are making these poor policy decisions.”Ìý
At around 1 p.m., a group of Canada First supporters, escorted by police, marched from the Christie Pits Park through Grace Street, Euclid Ave, Lennox, Bathurst, Bloor and Yonge streets to Sankofa Square, formerly known as Yonge-Dundas Square. They were followed by a small group of counter-demonstrators.
Dianne Saxe, city councillor for Ward 11 which includes the park,Ìýhas said she was “deeply disturbed” by the rally and that many of her constituents had written letters expressing their concern.
“I am also appalled at the absurdity of these individuals choosing to do so in Christie Pits Park, with its history of standing against hate,”
She added that the counter-protests show that the “spirit of opposition to nativism, jingoism and racism remains a vibrant part of our ward.”
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