Toronto police have charged a man who allegedly waved a terrorist flag at a protest, and are moving to block further protests at a major overpass as the city's police chief speaks out against an escalation in hate crimes and unsafe demonstrations in the city.

“Hate and intimidation can have no space in our city and we have been unwavering in our commitment to restore the sense of public safety, and not tolerate behavior that crosses the line to criminal activity,” Chief Myron Demkiw said in a release Thursday.

“Our officers have worked tirelessly to manage 308 demonstrations ….exponentially more than any other city in Canada.”

In particular, there have been weekly pro-Palestinian demonstrations at the Avenue Road overpass over Highway 401, an area with a large Jewish community. The events have sometimes drawn counter-protests from pro-Israel demonstrators, with occasional clashes.

Area residents contend that the protests, which come in addition to regular downtown protests over the Israel-Hamas war, are aimed at intimidating Jewish residents in the city. They have also been flagged as a safety concern for both the demonstrators and for passing vehicles. The spot was the scene of a recent incident where Toronto police were seen ferrying Tim Hortons coffee to bridge protesters as they worked to contain the situation. The coffee was brought to the area by someone else.

"Moving forward, demonstrations or the congregation of individuals on the Avenue Road overpass will not be permitted," Demkiw said. "People can expect to be arrested if necessary."

News that the Avenue Road overpass protests will no longer be permitted comes just days after a city councillor tabled a motion asking staff to look into what could be done about the demonstrations, citing safety concerns.

Speaking with reporters, the chief said police have taken pains to protect people's right to protest over the past few weeks.

"But as in all cases when things move to a criminal consideration, which we are alleging is the case now, there are limits to that freedom of speech, and we have an obligation to prevent offences and keep communities safe, keep protesters safe, keep demonstrators safe, and keep our police officers safe," Demkiw said. "And I would suggest further there are plenty of places in the city more appropriate for the expression that people would be affording themselves pursuant to the charter."

Demkiw also noted that the bridge runs over one of the busiest highways in North America and said that the events of the past few weeks have given rise to "a very serious concern for community safety."

CHARGE LAID OVER ALLEGED WAVING OF TERRORIST FLAG

Police also said Thursday that they have charged a 41-year-old Toronto man for waving the flag of a listed terrorist organization after a large protest near Queen and Bay streets on Jan. 7.  Police did not explicitly identify the nature of the protest, however there was a large pro-Palestinian demonstration at Nathan Phillip’s Square on that day which disrupted Mayor Olivia Chow's Nathan Phillips Hall skate party.

Maged Sameh Hilal Al Khalaf was arrested and charged with public incitement of hatred on Jan. 7.

Police have not said which group the flag in question belonged to but have indicated that it belonged to a group recognized as a terrorist organization by the Canadian government.

"I want to send a message that we're not putting up with this kind of hateful conduct in our city," Demkiw told reporters. "This type of allegation points to an extremist, hateful perspective that we do not welcome in this city."

Police have said that hate crimes, particularly antisemitic hate crimes and anti-Muslim/Palestinian/Arab hate crimes, have skyrocketed in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.

"Anti-Semitism continues to account for more reported hate crimes than any other category, making up 37 per cent of all hate crimes reported in 2023," police said Thursday. "In 2023, there were 132 reported anti-Semitic hate crimes compared to 65 in 2022. There was also 35 reported anti-Muslim/Palestinian/Arab hate crimes in 2023 compared to 12 in 2022."

CHIEF WARNS MORE RESOURCES NEEDED

Demkiw also thanked members of the force who have been working to add extra support for the community over the past few months and said he was disappointed that the latest city budget for TPS fell short of the TPS board recommended amount.

"Despite the city cutting $12.6 million from the Police Services Board's approved service operating budget, our members continue to show up every day doing incredible work during these unprecedented, unprecedented times, even as our resources are strained more than ever," Demkiw said.

He warned that costs cannot be further reduced "without taking unacceptable risks."

The city's proposed budget unveiled Wednesday allotted $1.174 billion to TPS for 2024, $12 million less than the funds the Toronto Police Services Board requested in its 2024 budget on Dec. 19.