On May 14 in Montreal, Israelis and their supporters held an Israeli Independence Day celebration at Canada Place. Anti-Israel protesters decided to counter this event, setting up a protest at Dorchester Square, a park situated in front of Canada Place.

While the Israeli crowd came by the thousands, the protesters were not numerous. Rebel News tried to cover all sides of the story by engaging with Israel supporters and the anti-Israel crowd.

“Leave Palestine alone and go back to Europe” were the words to a song from the anti-Israel crowd, until they realized Rebel News had caught them on tape. Then, they chanted “Rebel News terrorists,” with some passing through the police perimeter to come towards us in an attempt to intimidate us.

Le jour de l'indépendance à Montréal aujourd'hui:
Des contre-manifestants présents, tenaient des propos hostiles tels que ''GO BACK TO EUROPE!''

Ensuite ils s'en ont prit à nous parce qu'on a filmer leur chant haineux et savent que nous allons les exposer. pic.twitter.com/pfTWCA4Ash

— Guillaume Roy (@guillaum3roy) May 14, 2024

The Montreal police requested those protesters return to their place, but officers also pushed our team to the corner of the street — where it's impossible to do journalism.

One of the officers physically engaged with me, hitting me in the back while we were recording a quick update.

.@TheVoiceAlexa reports from in front of a pro-Hamas crowd chanting "Go back to Europe."

Anti-Israel crowds assembled in protest of an Israeli Independence Day rally. Police pushed Alexa away from the mob after they became hostile.https://t.co/iAWKHLz6Mr pic.twitter.com/85DdY4Uvt0

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) May 14, 2024

“We are just trying to celebrate the life of Israel,” said a woman who came out to support Israeli Independence Day. Many people mentioned the remaining 132 hostages held by Hamas, seven months after the devastating Hamas terror attack against the Jewish state. 

During the day, a drone from the anti-Israel crowd flew straight in Rebel News' face while we were recording another update on the situation.

In Montreal yesterday, a Pro-Hamas supporter flew his drone in my face and found out!

I don’t think he will do that again!https://t.co/MK7PbgngsO pic.twitter.com/NlD7Nn5uIW

— Alexandra Lavoie (@ThevoiceAlexa) May 15, 2024

The man in question tried to recover his property after illegally flying his drone. Rebel News, who were told we could not fly our own drone because of no-fly zone rules, went to the police to explain the situation and pressured the police to take action.

Tensions between the pro- and anti-Israel supporters have continued to increase, especially in Quebec with encampments set up at McGill University and the University of Quebec in Montreal. Currently, it seems as though there is no end in sight to the ongoing protests.