Police in several cities to increase presence ahead of Oct. 7 anniversary

On the anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks in Israel, police departments in cities across Canada are increasing their presence in Jewish and Muslim communities, as well as at the locations of planned protests.

Police in several Canadian cities are increasing their presence in preparation for protests and rallies on the anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack in Israel.

The attack saw more than 1,200 Israelis killed and about 240 hostages seized, triggering an Israeli counter-offensive in Gaza that the regional health ministry says has left more than 41,000 dead.

In the year since, thousands of protests have taken place in Canada, with pro-Israeli demonstrators demanding Hamas release the hostages, while pro-Palestinian voices have demanded a ceasefire between the two sides. 

Here's a look at what major cities across Canada expected ahead of Monday’s demonstrations. 

In the nation’s capital, the Ottawa Police Service said it’s increasing its presence and patrols around Jewish and Islamic places of worship, as well as community centres.

“We recognize that next week, October 7th, marks the beginning of hostilities. We are closely monitoring the situation and assessing any potential impacts on our local community,” Ottawa Police said in a social media post.

On Sunday, Ottawa’s Jewish community gathered at Parliament Hill to remember the victims and call for the release of the hostages. Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian demonstrators took to the streets Saturday to protest Israel’s military offensive in the Middle East.