Antisemitic Saudi cleric who calls Jews 'enemies' of Islam denied use of Montreal theatre

B’nai Brith called on all venues to not host al-Hakeem due to his past statements that promote 'hate-filled and extremist views' that 'publicly demonized Jews, glorified terrorism, and justified inhumane practices such as sexual slavery.'

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  • August 27, 2024
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Antisemitic Saudi cleric who calls Jews 'enemies' of Islam denied use of Montreal theatre
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An event featuring a Saudi cleric who called Jews the enemies of Muslims has been denied the use of a Montreal theatre, according to local Jewish groups.

The Rialto theatre decided against hosting the Sunday Penny Appeal charity event featuring Assim Al-Hakeem after concerns were raised by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) and B’nai Brith Canada.

"Théâtre Rialto has informed us that they have canceled host Sheikh Assim Al-Hakeem’s event this weekend and will not host his tour stop," CIJA said on social media on Friday. "The antisemitic and homophobic rhetoric spread by the Islamist hate preacher poses a threat to the safety and well-being of Mile End and Outremont, as well as to Montreal as a whole."

The Eventbrite page for the Montreal Al-Hakeem lecture originally said that the location would be disclosed later. However, it, along with the pages for Saturday's event in London and Tuesday's event in Vancouver, were subsequently removed. As of Monday, the Penny Appeal Canada website and their posts on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok related to Al-Hakeem and his tour were no longer accessible.

The event page for the cleric’s August 21 lecture at Winnipeg’s St. Peter’s Church remains available. Calls have been made by B’nai Brith to "publicly condemn the antisemitism they have enabled" on Thursday. In a statement issued on Frida, The Winnipeg Archdiocese said that the parish was instructed to tell the charity that its event had been cancelled, but "due to circumstances, the disinvitation did not occur."

"The Archdiocese of Winnipeg has a policy of not permitting the use of parish facilities for political purposes, either domestic or foreign," read the statement. "A speaker, Assim Al-Hakeem, was invited by the charity to address the people on the importance of charitable giving. Unfortunately, this speaker is known as a political activist."

B’nai Brith called on all venues to not host al-Hakeem due to his past statements that promote "hate-filled and extremist views" that "publicly demonized Jews, glorified terrorism, and justified inhumane practices such as sexual slavery."

In a July 19 video on his YouTube channel, which boasts over a million subscribers, Al-Hakeem called for the liberation of the al-Aqsa mosque and Dome of the Rock "from the oppressors and from our enemies, the Jews."

In a separate video dated March 30, Al-Hakeem asserted that Jews and idol worshipers harbor the most hatred for Muslims, stating, "What’s happening in Gaza is a clear indication, a clear sign, of their hatred and enmity – it’s in their DNA."

Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-Francois Blanchet questioned on Thursday why Al-Hakeem was allowed to spread his ideology in Canada, stating on X: "Assim Al-Hakeem makes statements that are completely contrary to Quebec values and to what the Liberals also claim to be theirs. Why is this person allowed to come here knowing his intentions to spread his hostile and hateful speech?"

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