[MEDIA RELEASE] University of Toronto Hosts Anti-Muslim Hate Fest---Disguised as Conference on Antisemitism
More than 80 organizations, academics and faith leaders are calling on the University of Toronto to explain its support for a September 15 conference on antisemitism after alleging that speakers made anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian and antisemitic remarks.
The coalition is asking university President Melanie Woodin to issue a public apology, disclose any financial, administrative or facilities support for the event, and meet with students, faculty and community groups affected by the conference.
The event, titled “A Canary’s Song: Antisemitism in Our ‘Free and Democratic Society,’” examined antisemitism and threats to liberal democracy. Woodin opened the conference and said she was pleased to host the summit, according to the joint statement issued by the coalition.
Signatories said comments made during the program crossed the line from academic discussion into discriminatory rhetoric. They cited remarks by speaker Raheel Raza about Muslims and Palestinians, as well as comments by keynote speaker Deborah Lipstadt that the coalition characterized as minimizing Islamophobia.
The statement also criticized comments attributed to Mark Sandler rejecting allegations of genocide in Gaza, and remarks by Michael Teper concerning Haredi Jewish families and anti-Zionist Jews.
Yaser Haddara, chair of the Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council, said the university should account for the standards it applied in allowing the event to proceed. Molly Kraft of the Jews Say No to Genocide coalition said anti-Zionist Jews and Palestinians were unfairly targeted during the conference.
The organizations backing the statement include the Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council, Independent Jewish Voices Canada, the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, CUPE 3902 and the Jews Say No to Genocide coalition. The source material did not include a response from the University of Toronto or Woodin.