WATCH: Anti-Israel agitators DISRUPT Freeland's campaign launch
Anti-Israel agitators attempted to rush the stage at Freeland's campaign launch on Sunday. ‘It’s time to get serious about political violence, before someone really gets hurt!’
Anti-Israel agitators unsuccessfully rushed the stage at Chrystia Freeland’s campaign launch Sunday, renewing concerns surrounding political violence.
“Despicable and dangerous scene at Freeland’s campaign launch today [Sunday],” wrote outgoing Liberal MP Marco Mendicino in a post to social media.
“Those who rushed the stage trying to threaten the people at this event flagrantly broke the law,” he said, calling for them to be charged. “It’s time to get serious about political violence, before someone really gets hurt!”
BREAKING: Chrystia Freeland's Liberal leadership announcement has been interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters @RebelNewsOnline pic.twitter.com/qXTiBtnz3i
— Efrain Flores Monsanto 🇨🇦🚛 (@realmonsanto) January 19, 2025
The outgoing MP, formerly the public safety minister, tabled legislation last spring to create “protective zones” around constituency offices, citing increased threats against elected officials.
Mendicino previously told The Canadian Press these zones would be part of regulations from Bill C-70, An Act respecting countering foreign interference. It received Royal Assent last June 20.
“We have to take parliamentary security more seriously,” he said at the time. “We need to open our eyes and recognize that political violence is … happening in our communities.” The comments followed the attempted assassination of then-U.S. Presidential Candidate Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally.
RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme confirmed that most utterances of threats against elected officials do not result in criminal charges.
FAILED ASSASSINATION: Shots fired at Donald Trump!
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) July 13, 2024
More to come. pic.twitter.com/vvatsIOl4V
The constituency office of Immigration Minister Marc Miller was vandalized last July 18, with windows smashed and walls painted. Miller called this a “criminal act.”
If approved, the regulations include a buffer zone of 100 metres, which could land assailants in jail if convicted.
Then-public safety minister Dominic LeBlanc bolstered RCMP funding to ensure greater security for parliamentarians. Security costs could surpass $3.4 million this fiscal year—nearly double from two years ago.
The federal police service typically does not protect backbench MPs and parliamentary secretaries.

Alex Dhaliwal
Calgary Based Journalist
Alex Dhaliwal is a Political Science graduate from the University of Calgary. He has actively written on relevant Canadian issues with several prominent interviews under his belt.

COMMENTS
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Bernhard Jatzeck commented 2025-01-20 20:33:57 -0500They’re not much different than those Just Stop Oil nutters.
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Bruce Atchison commented 2025-01-20 19:23:22 -0500This shows how childish anti-Israel protesters are. They use any occasion to push their hateful narrative. It’s time these people are arrested and charged for disturbing the peace and posing physical danger to any sort of speaker on stage.