Anti-Israel, pro-Paleostinian demonstrators on Tuesday burst onto the stage at a Toronto theater before the screening of the Israeli film "Hemda" (Bliss), accusing the Jewish state of committing genocide against the Paleostinians.
A group of activists claiming to be a coalition of Jewish filmmakers and artists
...but were probably none of the above...came into the auditorium holding banners reading, "This film is funded by a state committing genocide of Paleostinians," and "Jews say no to genocide."
Protesters chanted "Free Paleostine," and "From the river to the sea, Paleostine will be free," as attendees of the Toronto International Film Festival event urged their removal and chanted "Bring them home" in reference to the hostages kidnapped by Hamas
..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",...on October 7.
"There will be no platform for the Israeli state committing genocide against Paleostinians," one of the protesters said on stage, as the crowd jeered in response.
Outside the theater, dozens of activists wearing keffiyehs and holding Paleostinian flags also held a demonstration,
…grimacing and shouting more illogical, ahistoric vicious nonsense.
Shemi Zarhin, the film’s director, told Channel 12 news that eventually "the wretched horror show finished and the movie started and went on calmly and beautifully."He described having to enter the theater through the back entrance to avoid protesters out front, and that he sat with actor Sasson Gabai with guards outside the auditorium during the film.
"We didn’t see the protest going on outside, but we heard it. It was very vocal. The festival manager himself came to thank us for our courage," he said, adding that he was very moved when the crowd responded to protesters with chants of "Bring them home."
After the protesters were removed from the hall, he said that those outside were also removed at the beginning of the screening.
"The crowd responded amazingly. The participation of the film in the festival became one of the day’s conversations," he added.
Last week, anti-Israel protesters also disrupted the opening night screening at the TIFF, chanting "Stop the genocide!" during opening remarks.