Hampstead to issue $1,000 fines for removing posters of Israeli hostages

A Montreal suburb is poised to pass a new bylaw that would impose a $1,000 fine against anyone caught tearing down posters of missing Israeli citizens.

A Montreal suburb is poised to pass a new bylaw that would impose a $1,000 fine against anyone caught tearing down posters of missing Israeli citizens.

The mayor of Hampstead said Thursday that the proceeds from the fines "will go to Israel."

Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that killed more than 1,400 Israelis, more than 200 people have been taken hostage. In a show of solidarity with those missing, people have taken to the streets worldwide posting photos of the hostages to call for their release from Hamas, which Canada considers a terrorist organization.

But as the war rages on into its fourth week, people opposed to the Israeli government's bombing of thousands of civilians in the Gaza Strip have responded by tearing down some of those posters.

Hampstead Mayor Jeremy Levi announced the new bylaw in a post on social media.

"Hampstead will adopt a by-law that will impose a $1,000 fine to any person that removed the Israeli hostage posters from public property," the post read. "Furthermore, 100 per cent of the sums collected from this infraction will be donated to Israel."

Mayor Levi's office said he was not available for an interview on Friday.