Ten people arrested following anti-immigration rally and counter-demonstrations in Toronto

September 15, 2025

Font size

Toronto. Toronto police say 10 people have been arrested after a rally against Canadian immigration policies clashed with counter-demonstrators at Christie Pits Park on Saturday.

Shortly after noon, dozens of the Canada First Rally supporters started gathering at the southwest corner of the park and were surrounded by droves of counter-protesters who said there’s no room for racists in this one of the city’s most diverse communities.

Waving placards that said “My Canadian Value: Inclusion and Multiculturalism” and “Fascists Go Away,” the pro-immigration crowd chanted “You will never get your way. Immigrants are here to stay.”

Toronto police say they have made multiple arrests at an anti-immigration rally that was met with a counter-demonstration Saturday afternoon. Hundreds of people gathered at Toronto’s Christie Pits Park Saturday afternoon, chanting rallying cries and waving flags, with police interjecting during few tense moments of confrontation between the two groups. (Sept. 13, 2025)

Outnumbered, the Canada First Rally camp, waving Canadian flags and playing the national anthem, had to be barricaded behind dozens of police officers and their bikes for their safety.

“When I bring out these patriots that you see around me right now, this is to put us in the forefront for a change,” said Joe Anidjar, who organized the Canada First Rally, which called for an end to mass immigration and “deportations now.”

He said the country is already “unrecognizable and I know many people share that same sentiment. It has to stop. I’m not saying no to immigrants. I say we need to slow it down. We need to be more careful about who we bring into this country.”

Canadians’ support for immigration and immigrants has declined the last couple of years, fueled by the global affordability crisis and economic uncertainty triggered by the disruptions of the pandemic and more recently the international tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.

Immigrants, particularly international students and foreign workers, have been blamed for the housing crisis, a strained health-care system and suppressing wage increases. In response, the government slashed the 2025 intakes of new permanent residents by 21 per cent to 395,000; new study permit holders by 10 per cent to 305,900; and new work permit holders by 16 per cent to 367,750.

A long-term tracking poll last year found 58 per cent Canadians said there’s too much immigration, up from 44 per cent in 2023 and 27 per cent in 2022. It was the first time in a quarter of century a majority of Canadians believed the country has accepted too many immigrants, after years of a pro-immigration consensus in the country.

The Canada First Rally drew headlines and condemnation when it was first announced in August. Organizers said they are looking for “true Canadian patriots” who “can’t stand what is happening to our beautiful country” to advocate against immigration and undocumented workers.

Ten people were arrested at the demonstrations, including at least one man for assault, police said on X on Saturday afternoon. A portion of Bloor Street was also shut down around Christie Street as demonstrators collected on the roadway.

In the weeks leading up to the rally, counter-demonstrations were also planned.

“Christie Pits is for the people, not for racists,” organizers of the No to Hate, Yes to Immigrants! counter-rally said on their event page. “Bring everyone you know and let’s make it clear: there is no space for hate at Christie Pits Park.”

The counter-rally’s description says the park is an important space for vulnerable groups such as migrants, invoking Christie Pits’ history that includes an infamous 1933 riot that broke out between Nazi sympathizers and Jewish and Italian locals after gang members displayed a swastika flag during a softball game.

Deana Ladd, a co-organizer of the counter-protest, said Christie Pits is a diverse neighbourhood, next to the Koreatown neighbourhood and surrounded by the Latinx, Ethiopian and Eritrean communities. Locals don’t believe in the racist ideology and are upset about the Canada First Rally in their midst, she added.

“Christie Pits is a park which many immigrant communities celebrate and come together and spend time with families and children,” said Ladd, who lives in the area and is also the executive director of the Workers Action Centre.

“This is all very reminiscent and coming out of the Freedom Convoy stuff and what’s happening within Trump’s America.”

Ten people arrested following anti-immigration rally and counter-demonstrations in Toronto

Related Post