“Mockery cannot be free speech”: Muslim protesters gather outside French Consulate in Toronto

• By Ezra Levant

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Last Saturday, anti-free speech, pro-Sharia protesters in Toronto called for Canadians to boycott France in response to the infamous Prophet Muhammad cartoons.

On Halloween, several hundred (mostly Muslim) protesters assembled at Yonge and Bloor streets in downtown Toronto, demonstrating outside the tower that houses the French Consulate.

If you thought that they were there to condemn the horrific murders of French citizens in recent weeks at the hands of Islamists infuriated by the Prophet Muhammad cartoons, you would be wrong!

Indeed, not a single sign condemned the brutal murderers; rather, these people wanted Canadians to boycott France, thanks to French President Macron's recent speech championing western values such as freedom of expression, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press.

Indeed, many demonstrators displayed signs advocating for “responsible” freedom of speech. “Responsible” in this context would appear to be that cartoons of Muhammad and being critical of Islam is off the table. In other words, “responsible free speech” is in effect “censorious free speech” — much like the situation that exists in so many Islamic republics the world over.

Many protesters also held up photos of Justin Trudeau. Little wonder why — the prime minister would seem to be taking their side when it comes to advocating “responsible” free speech.

Indeed, check out Trudeau’s comments last week regarding the latest massacres in France: "Freedom of expression is not without limits. We owe it to ourselves to act with respect for others and to seek not to arbitrarily or unnecessarily injure those with whom we are sharing a society and a planet."

Compare Trudeau’s pablum to what U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted: “America stands with its oldest ally in this fight. These radical Islamist terrorist attacks must stop immediately.”

Our hearts are with the people of France. America stands with our oldest Ally in this fight. These Radical Islamic terrorist attacks must stop immediately. No country, France or otherwise can long put up with it!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 29, 2020

Then again, are Trudeau’s milquetoast comments surprising? After all, far from condemning Islamist terrorism, this is the same prime minister who actually made Canada’s homegrown terrorist, Omar Khadr, a multimillionaire due to… hurt feelings?

(Please turn a blind eye to those U.S. soldiers Khadr murdered and wounded.)

Yet, how odd that these demonstrators who reside in Toronto feel so offended by the western values previous generations of Canadians have fought so hard to secure. After all, if the concepts of freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and freedom of the press are so repugnant to them, then why not simply move to an Islamist regime that is ruled under Sharia law?

What happened outside the French consulate on Saturday was disgusting and disturbing. As Canadians, we should all be standing in solidarity with France — not demanding a boycott on it!

I think I will do my part, and buy an extra case of Perrier today!