The BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) condemns the deliberate and systemic suppression of political expression in support of Palestine.
Over the past 16 months we have witnessed a widespread pattern of professional discipline, loss of educational and training opportunities, censure, harassment, and the criminalization of individuals who have exercised their right to free political expression in calling Israel’s actions in Gaza a genocide and demanding those actions cease. Such heavy-handed responses cast a chilling shadow over civil liberties and advocacy for Palestinian human rights across Canada.
A Watershed Moment for our Civil Liberties
While some attacks on free expression – for example, the Vancouver Public Library prohibiting staff from wearing watermelon symbols, or attempts in schools to prevent teachers from delivering Nakba education– claim to be grounded in principles of neutrality, they are anything but neutral. Each of these moments paints a broader, frightening picture of systemic repression on free expression.
In recent months, BCCLA became aware of several lawyers and journalists who have been cautioned by police that posting social media content in support of Palestine, or challenging Israel’s actions, may lead to criminal charges. The threats raise the specter of punishment for expressing certain political ideology, which effectively chills dissent.
It is telling that lawyers and journalists – those who have professional responsibilities to uphold the rule of law, or uncover threats to democracy – are being targeted. This is a watershed moment of peril for civil liberties in Canada.
It is equally alarming that Canada continues to target Palestinian solidarity organizations while ignoring the documented war crimes and crimes against humanity Israel is committing against Palestinians.[i] Canada’s biased response to this international crisis has coloured the domestic interpretation of Charter rights in a way that should raise the alarm for anyone concerned with the protection of freedom and democracy.
A nation that prohibits dissent against its foreign policy, or bans peaceful human rights activism, is a dangerous place. This is a marked departure from the values we claim to hold in Canada.
As a civil liberties and human rights organization, we know that free and rigorous dialogue, particularly political discourse, is a necessary facet of democracy. In a time when fascism is tearing down hard-won rights and freedoms, we must be courageous in defending our democratic values. This is not the time to cave to fear.
We call on our communities to stand together to demand the protection of free political expression, as a core pillar of our democracy.
Biased Policing
In September 2024, BCCLA filed police complaints jointly with Pivot Legal in relation to the excessive use of force applied against people protesting the killing of children in Palestine, the chronic video surveillance of pro-Palestinian demonstrations, and the destruction of a sacred fire, contrary to VPD policy. Our Staff Counsel witnessed a police officer wearing an Israel flag patch while policing a rally, in breach of uniform policy. Police hold a unique role in our society, including the legal authority to detain, make arrest, and physically use force in a manner that others are prohibited from doing. It is a role that should be politically neutral. This is why uniform policy dictates the absence of political symbolism.
When governments turn to police to enforce silence on important political issues, this is the policing of discourse, dissent, and ideas. This does not make anyone safer. We denounce state efforts to control political discourse.
We call on all policing agencies to cease these practices of biased policing and policing political expression, and to discipline officers who breach policy. The biased policing that we have witnessed to date must be thoroughly investigated by impartial third parties, without delay.
Flawed Anti-Terror Tools
The addition of Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network (Samidoun) to Canada’s Listed Terrorist Entities demonstrates how government is using problematic tools to stifle political expression on Palestine. BCCLA has long opposed[ii] the use of this problematic anti-terrorism tool, which is riddled with accountability gaps and violates Charter-protected due process rights, including the presumption of innocence.[iii]
All people in Canada, regardless of their views on Samidoun, should be concerned by this designation and how it operates to suppress freedom of expression and assembly. It highlights the disturbing manner in which foreign interests and internal biases including Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism influence government policy and perpetuate stigma and division. Further, the lack of transparency in the process allows political prejudice to go unchecked.
We call on the Federal government to cease the opaque practice of listing terrorist entities.
Antisemitism
The repression of support for Palestine seems to flow in part from the broad application and acceptance of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. This definition erroneously conflates criticism of actions of the state of Israel with antisemitism. This definition would capture the findings of Amnesty International, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the provisional measures of the International Court of Justice, which all support the understanding that Israel is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. Canadian institutions abiding by a definition that has the effect of punishing people for acknowledging the human rights of Palestinians or talking about human rights at all as they pertain to actions of the state of Israel, is unconscionable.
Despite calls from many, including members of the Jewish community[iv], to reject this definition, and to take meaningful action to address growing antisemitism in Canada, our government is more focused on preventing discourse around genocide than it is on supporting safety and respect for all and de-escalating domestic tensions that arise largely because of its own foreign policy.
We call on all levels of government and civil and community institutions to renounce the IHRA definition of antisemitism and instead apply human rights law principles to all interpretations of racial or religious discrimination.
Stand Up for Civil Liberties & Human Rights
BCCLA will always stand up for civil liberties and human rights. What we are witnessing in Canada is a grave affront to both – an attack on the civil liberties of those speaking out about a shocking disregard for human rights.
We condemn the criminalization of political expression and government critique. Dissent against governments – domestic or foreign, allies or foes – is a core freedom that BCCLA will tirelessly defend.
In this critical moment, we also call on civil society to resist, engage, and exercise your rights to free expression, assembly, and political dissent.
We call on governments and state actors to recognize and act consistently with civil liberties and human rights in Canada.
[i] See: Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel) (Order) [2024] ICJ No. 192, online: Order of 26 January 2024; Legal Consequences Arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Including East Jerusalem (Advisory Opinion) [2024] No. 186, online: Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024; B’Tselem, “Manufacturing Famine: Israel is Committing the War Crime of Starvation in the Gaza Strip” (April 2024), online: 202404_manufacturing_famine_eng.pdf; B’Tselem, “Welcome to Hell: The Israeli Prison System as a Network of Torture Camps” (August 2024), online: B’Tselem report: “Welcome to Hell: The Israeli Prison System as Network of Torture Camps”, August 2024; United Nations, “Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Francesca Albanese – Genocide as colonial erasure” (1 October 2024) A/79/384, online: A/79/384: Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Francesca Albanese – Genocide as colonial erasure | OHCHR; Human Rights Watch, “”Hopeless, Starving, and Besieged: Israel’s Forced Displacement of Palestinians in Gaza” (14 November 2024), online: “Hopeless, Starving, and Besieged”: Israel’s Forced Displacement of Palestinians in Gaza | HRW; Amnesty International, “Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territory: ‘You Feel Like You Are Subhuman’: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza” (5 December 2024), online: Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territory: ‘You Feel Like You Are Subhuman’: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza – Amnesty International.
[ii] “Entrenching Anti-Terror Laws is Wrong Approach to Tackling White Supremacist Organizations” (23 February 2021), online: BCCLA Entrenching Anti-Terror Laws is Wrong Approach to Tackling White Supremacist Organizations – BC Civil Liberties Association.
[iii] “Canadian Civil Liberties Coalition Calls For End to Terrorist Entities Listing Regime” (17 October 2024), online: International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group Canadian civil liberties coalition calls for end to terrorist entities listing regime – International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group.
[iv] “No IHRA Campaign: FAQ” (2 February 2025 last visited), online: Independent Jewish Voices https://www.noihra.ca/faq; “Jewish Faculty Network Against IHRA” (2021), online: Jewish Faculty Network https://jewishfaculty.ca/jewish-faculty-against-the-ihra-defn/;
BCCLA Statement Against the Systemic Suppression of Support for Palestine
The BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) condemns the deliberate and systemic suppression of political expression in support of Palestine.
Over the past 16 months we have witnessed a widespread pattern of professional discipline, loss of educational and training opportunities, censure, harassment, and the criminalization of individuals who have exercised their right to free political expression in calling Israel’s actions in Gaza a genocide and demanding those actions cease. Such heavy-handed responses cast a chilling shadow over civil liberties and advocacy for Palestinian human rights across Canada.
A Watershed Moment for our Civil Liberties
While some attacks on free expression – for example, the Vancouver Public Library prohibiting staff from wearing watermelon symbols, or attempts in schools to prevent teachers from delivering Nakba education– claim to be grounded in principles of neutrality, they are anything but neutral. Each of these moments paints a broader, frightening picture of systemic repression on free expression.
In recent months, BCCLA became aware of several lawyers and journalists who have been cautioned by police that posting social media content in support of Palestine, or challenging Israel’s actions, may lead to criminal charges. The threats raise the specter of punishment for expressing certain political ideology, which effectively chills dissent.
It is telling that lawyers and journalists – those who have professional responsibilities to uphold the rule of law, or uncover threats to democracy – are being targeted. This is a watershed moment of peril for civil liberties in Canada.
It is equally alarming that Canada continues to target Palestinian solidarity organizations while ignoring the documented war crimes and crimes against humanity Israel is committing against Palestinians.[i] Canada’s biased response to this international crisis has coloured the domestic interpretation of Charter rights in a way that should raise the alarm for anyone concerned with the protection of freedom and democracy.
A nation that prohibits dissent against its foreign policy, or bans peaceful human rights activism, is a dangerous place. This is a marked departure from the values we claim to hold in Canada.
As a civil liberties and human rights organization, we know that free and rigorous dialogue, particularly political discourse, is a necessary facet of democracy. In a time when fascism is tearing down hard-won rights and freedoms, we must be courageous in defending our democratic values. This is not the time to cave to fear.
We call on our communities to stand together to demand the protection of free political expression, as a core pillar of our democracy.
Biased Policing
In September 2024, BCCLA filed police complaints jointly with Pivot Legal in relation to the excessive use of force applied against people protesting the killing of children in Palestine, the chronic video surveillance of pro-Palestinian demonstrations, and the destruction of a sacred fire, contrary to VPD policy. Our Staff Counsel witnessed a police officer wearing an Israel flag patch while policing a rally, in breach of uniform policy. Police hold a unique role in our society, including the legal authority to detain, make arrest, and physically use force in a manner that others are prohibited from doing. It is a role that should be politically neutral. This is why uniform policy dictates the absence of political symbolism.
When governments turn to police to enforce silence on important political issues, this is the policing of discourse, dissent, and ideas. This does not make anyone safer. We denounce state efforts to control political discourse.
We call on all policing agencies to cease these practices of biased policing and policing political expression, and to discipline officers who breach policy. The biased policing that we have witnessed to date must be thoroughly investigated by impartial third parties, without delay.
Flawed Anti-Terror Tools
The addition of Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network (Samidoun) to Canada’s Listed Terrorist Entities demonstrates how government is using problematic tools to stifle political expression on Palestine. BCCLA has long opposed[ii] the use of this problematic anti-terrorism tool, which is riddled with accountability gaps and violates Charter-protected due process rights, including the presumption of innocence.[iii]
All people in Canada, regardless of their views on Samidoun, should be concerned by this designation and how it operates to suppress freedom of expression and assembly. It highlights the disturbing manner in which foreign interests and internal biases including Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism influence government policy and perpetuate stigma and division. Further, the lack of transparency in the process allows political prejudice to go unchecked.
We call on the Federal government to cease the opaque practice of listing terrorist entities.
Antisemitism
The repression of support for Palestine seems to flow in part from the broad application and acceptance of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. This definition erroneously conflates criticism of actions of the state of Israel with antisemitism. This definition would capture the findings of Amnesty International, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the provisional measures of the International Court of Justice, which all support the understanding that Israel is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. Canadian institutions abiding by a definition that has the effect of punishing people for acknowledging the human rights of Palestinians or talking about human rights at all as they pertain to actions of the state of Israel, is unconscionable.
Despite calls from many, including members of the Jewish community[iv], to reject this definition, and to take meaningful action to address growing antisemitism in Canada, our government is more focused on preventing discourse around genocide than it is on supporting safety and respect for all and de-escalating domestic tensions that arise largely because of its own foreign policy.
We call on all levels of government and civil and community institutions to renounce the IHRA definition of antisemitism and instead apply human rights law principles to all interpretations of racial or religious discrimination.
Stand Up for Civil Liberties & Human Rights
BCCLA will always stand up for civil liberties and human rights. What we are witnessing in Canada is a grave affront to both – an attack on the civil liberties of those speaking out about a shocking disregard for human rights.
We condemn the criminalization of political expression and government critique. Dissent against governments – domestic or foreign, allies or foes – is a core freedom that BCCLA will tirelessly defend.
In this critical moment, we also call on civil society to resist, engage, and exercise your rights to free expression, assembly, and political dissent.
We call on governments and state actors to recognize and act consistently with civil liberties and human rights in Canada.
[i] See: Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel) (Order) [2024] ICJ No. 192, online: Order of 26 January 2024; Legal Consequences Arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Including East Jerusalem (Advisory Opinion) [2024] No. 186, online: Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024; B’Tselem, “Manufacturing Famine: Israel is Committing the War Crime of Starvation in the Gaza Strip” (April 2024), online: 202404_manufacturing_famine_eng.pdf; B’Tselem, “Welcome to Hell: The Israeli Prison System as a Network of Torture Camps” (August 2024), online: B’Tselem report: “Welcome to Hell: The Israeli Prison System as Network of Torture Camps”, August 2024; United Nations, “Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Francesca Albanese – Genocide as colonial erasure” (1 October 2024) A/79/384, online: A/79/384: Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Francesca Albanese – Genocide as colonial erasure | OHCHR; Human Rights Watch, “”Hopeless, Starving, and Besieged: Israel’s Forced Displacement of Palestinians in Gaza” (14 November 2024), online: “Hopeless, Starving, and Besieged”: Israel’s Forced Displacement of Palestinians in Gaza | HRW; Amnesty International, “Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territory: ‘You Feel Like You Are Subhuman’: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza” (5 December 2024), online: Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territory: ‘You Feel Like You Are Subhuman’: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza – Amnesty International.
[ii] “Entrenching Anti-Terror Laws is Wrong Approach to Tackling White Supremacist Organizations” (23 February 2021), online: BCCLA Entrenching Anti-Terror Laws is Wrong Approach to Tackling White Supremacist Organizations – BC Civil Liberties Association.
[iii] “Canadian Civil Liberties Coalition Calls For End to Terrorist Entities Listing Regime” (17 October 2024), online: International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group Canadian civil liberties coalition calls for end to terrorist entities listing regime – International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group.
[iv] “No IHRA Campaign: FAQ” (2 February 2025 last visited), online: Independent Jewish Voices https://www.noihra.ca/faq; “Jewish Faculty Network Against IHRA” (2021), online: Jewish Faculty Network https://jewishfaculty.ca/jewish-faculty-against-the-ihra-defn/;
CIVIL LIBERTIES CAN’T PROTECT THEMSELVES