CBC disciplined Jewish journalist who filmed anti-Israel protest during Yom Kippur

The Independent Press Gallery (IPG) condemned the CBC for pulling veteran Jewish journalist Neil Herland off the air and subjecting him to disciplinary proceedings after he filmed an anti-Israel protest outside a Yom Kippur service. The activist group CJPME filed a complaint accusing Herland of disinformation, leading to the CBC's action.

The Independent Press Gallery (IPG) issued a sharp condemnation of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) after reports emerged that the public broadcaster pulled veteran Jewish journalist Neil Herland off the air and subjected him to disciplinary proceedings. The action stemmed from Herland's documentation of an anti-Israel demonstration outside a Yom Kippur service held by The Song Shul at the Meridian Arts Center in north Toronto. Herland, an award-winning journalist and producer for CBC, attended the service and found approximately two dozen pro-Palestinian demonstrators staging a protest. He posted a thread on his personal X/Twitter account describing the experience, including video footage showing protesters using megaphones to shout slogans such as "Zionist alert," "baby killer," and "You're going to hell." The activist group Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) filed a formal complaint with the CBC, alleging that Herland was "telling a demonstrable lie to defame pro-Palestine activists" and arguing he was actually on his way to hear a speech by Mark Regev. After the complaint, Herland was pulled off the air and called to a disciplinary hearing. The IPG condemned the CBC's actions, stating that recording events in a public place is journalism, not misconduct, and called on Herland's union and other media organizations to defend him.