Last month, in a disapointing move, Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice granted the Government of Canada’s motion to dismiss the Coalition for Canadian Accountability in Gaza’s landmark case. The court’s reasons for granting the government’s motion to strike are not persuasive. We believe this amounts to yet another denial of justice to Palestinian Canadians, who have suffered so much already. We need your support to appeal this case. lcpal.ca/strategic-litigatio… Learn more about our case: lcpal.ca/landmark-case

5 Facts to Know about the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario: 1. It’s a direct access model, with no cost to file an application, and no requirement to retain a lawyer. But... 2. It’s plagued by unacceptable delays and extraordinarily high rates of case dismissals.  A stunning 97% of the HRTO’s final decisions in the first 9 months of 2025 were dismissals without hearings. (Tribunal Watch 2026) 3. It has become much harder to self-represent at the HRTO. Along with years-long delays, the requirement of more legal submissions can overwhelm self-represented applicants, who may be tempted to abandon their claim. 4. Since 2021, thousands of claims have been dismissed by the HRTO before a hearing because of “lack of jurisdiction”. (Tribunal Watch 2026) This is due to a change made by the HRTO in 2021. The manner in which the HRTO determines jurisdiction was recently slammed by the Ontario Divisional Court as “unreasonable” 5. Applications filed after June 2025 require mandatory mediation. The benefits of mediation include a potentially faster resolution and the ability to negotiate a settlement directly with the respondent. However, mediation usually leads to confidential settlements, which limit the ability to set precedents. Justice isn’t impossible. Are you thinking of filing a claim with the HRTO for Anti-Palestinian Racism? The Centre may be able to help. Fill out our Legal Support Form for assistance: lcpal.ca/legal-support

This press release is a masterclass in misdirection. Of the six arrests, the only person charged for an act against a civilian was a Walk with Israel participant alleged to have assaulted a counter-protester. But it's so unclear that at least one outlet reported the opposite 🧵

SANCTIONS WIN! Canada's fifth round of sanctions includes Regavim and Libi Construction, 2 entities IJV and our partners have long been pushing for Canada to target. This is significant bc it targets orgs involved in Palestinian displacement and the destruction of Gaza, not only settler violence. Now it's time for broader sanctions targeting the occupation as a whole. #SanctionIsraelNow

The genocide seems unstoppable, Necrocapitalism seems invincible- but they are not! All we need is UNITY. COORDINATION. PERSEVERANCE. Keep Protesting. Striking. Boycotting. Litigating. Not just once. All the times needed till the Apartheid ends and the system which fed it too.

This week, The Legal Centre for Palestine joined Palestinian Students and Scholars At Risk to advocate for scholars who have waited far too long for their student visas after being accepted to Canadian institutions. The Canadian government must process these applicants fairly and without delay. Thank you @PSSAR for putting together an incredible day of advocacy on the hill. We will keep challenging Anti-Palestinian Racism wherever it occurs.

France, Ireland, and Italy have already proven it is possible, granting emergency travel documents and welcoming hundreds of Palestinian students into their universities. Italy alone evacuated over 230 students. Meanwhile, the IRCC continues to stall.

The genocide case at the ICJ is proceeding predictably slow. So, a reminder: the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide obligates states to **prevent** genocide where a risk of it exists. In Gaza, that risk is years old and patently clear.

We are pleased to introduce our next speaker for Protest and Police Interactions, the first in our Public Legal Education (PLE) series providing practical legal information to empower Palestinians and advocates as they express themselves politically. Rachelle Friesen is a settler currently living in Tkaronto/Toronto. She is part of the @legalsupportcommittee Support Committee (LSC) in Toronto. LSC supports people criminalized at protests in Toronto. She currently works for Community Peacemaker Teams coordinating Indigenous Solidarity. Don't miss this chance to learn from experienced criminal defense lawyers in Ontario. Register here: bit.ly/PLEpolice

I’m honoured to join this The Legal Centre for Palestine public legal education panel on protest and police interactions. Timely as attacks on civil liberties mount.

We are pleased to introduce our first speaker for Protest and Police Interactions, the first in our Public Legal Education (PLE) series providing practical legal information to empower Palestinians and advocates as they express themselves politically. On June 2nd, we are joined by @arash_ghiassi . Arash is counsel at Savards LLP, dedicated to representing people who face criminal charges at all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada. Arash has worked closely with activists and community organizations from across the province, as well as well-regarded civil liberties organizations on both sides of the US-Canada border. Don't miss this chance to learn from experienced criminal defense lawyers in Ontario. Register here: bit.ly/PLEpolice

New Blog 🚨 Palestinians and solidarity advocates in Ontario have increasingly turned to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) to seek remedies for incidents of Anti-Palestinian Racism. Yet, the HRTO as it currently stands is plagued by obstacles to justice, and has even been called "the place where human rights claims go to die." Thinking of submitting a human rights claim? Read to learn what you can expect at the HRTO: lcpal.ca/insights-and-update…

Calling all protesters, student activists and organizers! The Legal Centre for Palestine is proud to introduce the first of our monthly Public Legal Education (PLE) webinar series: Protest and Police Interactions on Tuesday, June 2nd from 7 PM Eastern to 8:30 PM Eastern. This session will focus on policing and protest rights, aiming to leave participants with practical knowledge to manage police encounters occurring in the protest and organizing space. Please note: while some of the material covered will apply federally, this webinar will have a focus on the legal and political context of Ontario. Sign up at the link in our bio or at bit.ly/PLEpolice

Introducing our next speaker for this evening's Legal Activism from Coast to Coast panel: Me Pierre-Luc Bouchard started the Refugee Centre Legal clinic in 2017 with one clear objective: law should serve people, not systems. While helping asylum seekers and people without immigration statuses, Me Pierre-Luc Bouchard worked on several cases regarding the mobilization around Palestine, such as the Palestinian encampment at McGill in 2024, the injunctions against SPHR at McGill, the Class action against the Concordia Student Union and Concordia, and many more.  Me Pierre-Luc Bouchard credits the ACLU and the Southern Poverty Law Center's history of lawyers who fought for Black Americans during segregation as inspiring him to pursue a similar model. Join us this evening for a discussion with 4 incredible legal activists practicing in the provinces of British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario, and Nova Scotia. Last chance to register: bit.ly/LACoast2Coast

Introducing our next speaker for Legal Activism Coast to Coast: Leora Smith is a lawyer, in-house counsel, and the managing partner of the @cjc_TO, based in the Greater Toronto Area. Her work focuses on defending political expression, collective action, and freedom of assembly. Leora represents organizers and activists in matters involving protest-related charges, trespass notices, defamation claims, and legal disputes connected to political organizing and public statements. Catch Leora and other legal activists across Canada in discussion on the defense of the right to advocate for a free Palestine next Monday, May 25th. Sign up at the link in bio or at bit.ly/LACoast2Coast

Introducing our first speaker for Legal Activism Coast to Coast, Ga Grant from @bccla . Ga has been with the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association as Staff Litigation Counsel since 2022, bringing four years experience in legal practice serving First Nations with a focus on Indigenous rights, litigation, and specific claims. Since October 2023, the BCCLA has actively confronted police departments, government ministries, elected officials, and universities that have targeted protestors and supporters of Palestine. Register for this free virtual panel: bit.ly/LACoast2Coast

Today, we mark 78 years of ongoing Nakba. The mass displacement of Palestinians from their homeland in 1948 continues apace today, while the most powerful governments around the world do nothing to stop it and indeed even support the erasure of Palestinians. We acknowledge the incredible resilience and steadfastness of the Palestinian people in the face of continued struggle: A people who refuse to be erased despite their very existence being made a crime. The memory of those lost fuels the Centre’s work. Alongside our community, we commit to continue this struggle until Palestinians everywhere can live freely, express themselves without fear, and enjoy the human rights afforded to all human beings.