This past weekend, independent journalist Natasha Graham was arrested by police while covering an anti-Israel rally in Montreal. Rebel News reporter Alexa Lavoie was also covering the demonstration and was nearby when the incident happened.

Graham was herself the victim of multiple assaults from the pro-Hamas crowd — prior to police acting on behalf of the mob and arresting her. In response, Rebel News launched SaveNatasha.com, a crowdfunding website to help Graham cover the legal fees from this shameful act of policing.

But Montreal's protest wasn't the only anti-Israel rally to feature protesters hostile to the independent press. 

On Monday's Rebel Roundup livestream, Alexa Lavoie joined hosts Sheila Gunn Reid and David Menzies to discuss what she saw in Montreal and what happened to her while covering a similar rally on Parliament Hill.

Violent protesters “can do whatever they want,” Alexa told the hosts. “They can assault you; they can intimidate you; threaten you. And that's OK in Canada,” she continued.

“But the Freedom Convoy, that was peaceful in Ottawa and never attacked anybody — this is not OK in Canada, and you'll face charges,” Alexa said, contrasting the police and government response.

Week after week, there's “more violence and intimidation than the Freedom Convoy inflicted on anybody,” added Sheila Gunn Reid. 

Police did briefly detain a man who smacked Alexa's microphone, though it's unclear if any charges were laid.

“You're a lioness,” said David Menzies, praising Alexa's willingness to engage with violent crowds. “But at the end of the day, this was a very important video you did on Parliament Hill,” he continued. 

“Because it is more video proof, and we've seen it for the last 18 months, that multiculturalism — official, state-sanctioned multiculturalism — in Canada is dead. It's over.”

Save Natasha (Legal Fund)

Independent journalist Natasha Graham was arrested in Montreal while doing her job — covering an anti-Israel protest in the heart of the old city. Before police took her away in handcuffs, Natasha had already been assaulted multiple times by the aggressive, pro-Hamas crowd. We’re raising money to help cover Natasha’s legal fees. She deserves the best lawyer we can get — someone who will defend her rights and push back against this abuse of power. Stand with Natasha. Stand for freedom of the press.

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