'We will honor all our martyrs': Hundreds march through Toronto to mark three years since October 7

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters marched through downtown Toronto on Saturday to mark three years since the start of the Gaza war. The largely peaceful demonstration included chants honoring martyrs and calling for Palestinian freedom, with a smaller group of counterprotesters waving Israeli and Iranian flags. Toronto police reported one arrest unrelated to the protest.

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters marched through Toronto's downtown core on Saturday, October 10, 2026, marking three years since the start of the Gaza war. The demonstrators chanted slogans including 'We will honor all our martyrs, all our children, sons and daughters!' and 'In my lifetime I will see Palestinians living free!' The march, which gathered at Sankofa Square before proceeding along Yonge Street, was separated by metal barricades and police from a smaller group of counterprotesters waving Israeli and Iranian flags. The protest was largely peaceful, with Toronto police reporting one arrest of an individual wanted in connection with an unrelated incident. The demonstrators included Jews and Israelis critical of Zionism, with one protester citing the murder of peace activist Vivian Silver on October 7, 2023 as emotionally impactful. The protest was part of a broader international wave, with the Israeli Ministry for Diaspora Affairs counting 17 protests planned in Canada through Wednesday. The Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs expressed concern about the normalization of such protests.