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On Sunday, May 3, the usual crowd of terrorism supporters returned to the intersection of Bathurst and Sheppard in a predominantly Jewish neighbourhood. This weekly presence has continued since 2024, long after any official pro-Israel demonstrations ended.

With no counter-protest to oppose, the hate mob then focused on marching through residential streets, harassing local Jewish residents in their own community. Police briefly halted these incursions into residential areas in the past, yet two weeks ago, an organizer from the pro-Hamas side was permitted to enter the neighbourhood alongside another demonstrator.

When a number of Jewish women who live in the neighbourhood attempted to follow him, police intervened to stop them while doing nothing to remove the individuals who don't even live in that area.

UNBELIEVABLE: one of the organizers of the pro-terrorism demonstrations that invade the Toronto Jewish neighbourhood weekly, was allowed to freely walk through residential side streets, while JEWISH people IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBOURHOOD were blocked by police. pic.twitter.com/vctQzBHRO5

— Scarlett Grace (@ScarlettGrace92) April 19, 2026

New restrictions appeared this week. At the request of plaza security, Jewish demonstrators and their allies were barred from standing on a significant stretch of asphalt between the parking lot and the sidewalk. Plaza security was even filming demonstrators throughout the event.

Toronto Police enforced these orders, directing people onto the sidewalk and a narrow patch of grass beside the road. During the official pro-Israel rallies, officers at one point instructed demonstrators to stay off the sidewalk to avoid blocking foot traffic, but the rules change all the time at Bathurst and Sheppard, always appearing to constrain the Jewish community’s side more.

Police at Bathurst and Sheppard tell protesters they can no longer stand on the asphalt patch between the parking lot and the sidewalk or risk trespassing.

Not long ago, police told demonstrators they could not be on the sidewalk; now, the demonstrators have been pushed onto it. pic.twitter.com/92heERxeyU

— Scarlett Grace (@ScarlettGrace92) May 3, 2026

The most disturbing element on Sunday was the appearance of a new flag on the terrorist supporters’ side. It copied the design and colours of the Israeli flag, but replaced the Star of David with an unflattering image of a Jewish person. This was a blatant, provocative mockery aimed directly at Jewish residents.

When I asked Inspector Bernardo why this flag was permitted while Anas Sial had been arrested for public incitement of hatred over negative depictions of Jews, he claimed the difference was that this image showed a real person rather than “manipulated” images intended to demean Jewish people — as if the flag itself was not doing exactly that.

He accused me of already knowing about the flag and asking questions only to “bait people,” leaving me baffled, as I had never seen this particular flag before. He then stated, “Scarlett, you got your sound bite,” and accused me of inaccurate reporting on the residential-area incident two weeks earlier. This claim is directly contradicted by video evidence and eyewitness accounts from those present. He added, “I know you’re going to manipulate this video.”

“Scarlett, that’s your sound bite.”

A truly disheartening interaction with inspector Bernardo yesterday at Bathurst and Sheppard where he accused me of already knowing the answer as to why there was no action being taken against the antisemitic flag being waved across the… pic.twitter.com/lXnasw0F2r

— Scarlett Grace (@ScarlettGrace92) May 5, 2026

“I know you’re gonna manipulate this video.”

Inspector Bernardo accuses me of manipulating videos, implying that my reporting on the incident two weeks ago—when two pro-Hamas demonstrators were going down residential streets and Jewish residents of the neighbourhood were… pic.twitter.com/RlvtcUvm4b

— Scarlett Grace (@ScarlettGrace92) May 5, 2026

Wait until you hear the mental gymnastics the police do to justify why this clearly antisemitic flag is allowed to fly at Bathurst and Sheppard but Anas’ signs were deemed worthy of arrest. UNBELIEVABLE. 🤯 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/Qt95aU6FCW

— Scarlett Grace (@ScarlettGrace92) May 3, 2026

According to Toronto police:

Left: Not okay. Arrested.

Right: Totally fine.

Make it make sense. pic.twitter.com/4CegIrxXv3

— Scarlett Grace (@ScarlettGrace92) May 4, 2026

I have covered events at Bathurst and Sheppard for over two years. I have never attended these rallies in search of “sound bites.” The reality here requires no sensationalism. The two-tiered policing, the open tolerance of Jew-hatred, and the repeated failure to apply the Criminal Code of Canada against radical terrorism supporters are outrageous enough on their own.

Inspector Bernardo’s attitude yesterday was particularly disheartening. I had previously held him in higher regard than his predecessor, Inspector MacDuff. What happened, and the inspector’s response, left me needing a moment to collect myself before continuing my reporting. The disconnect from reality, and the ongoing neglect of the Jewish community’s safety in Toronto, remains simply unbelievable. The story itself is outrageous — it needs no sensationalizing.