The commissioner for the fight against racism and systemic discrimination of the City of Montreal, Bochra Manaï, has participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations and has clearly shown her colors in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on social networks for several weeks, noted The duty. She thus contravenes her duty of reserve, according to the official opposition. The Advisory Center for Jewish and Israeli Relations (CIJA) is calling for his resignation.
Since October 7, Mme Manaï has multiplied the positions taken in favor of the Palestinian people, according to the ten publications of the latter obtained by The duty. On her Instagram account, she notably published messages calling for a ceasefire and an end to the “genocide in Gaza” as well as a poster promoting the demonstration of October 22.
Sweater in the colors of Palestine on his back, Bochra Manaï also appears in a photo published on Facebook taken during a demonstration in support of Palestine which was held on October 28 in Montreal.
An event in which controversial imam Adil Charkaoui was filmed telling protesters: “Allah, take care of these Zionist aggressors. Allah, take care of the enemies of the people of Gaza. Allah, identify them all, then exterminate them. And don’t spare any of them! » A few days later, Prime Minister François Legault affirmed that the imam had incited the demonstrators “to hatred, to violence”.
Bochra Manaï sent the Duty a letter of opinion in which she considers having fulfilled “a duty of humanity”. “As some have noticed on my social networks, I recently took part in demonstrations in Montreal in support of a request for a ceasefire. I consider this individual posture to be a duty of humanity. A personal posture, therefore, that of a woman committed to peace, saddened by the horror of this situation,” indicates the commissioner.
Mme Manaï states that he condemns the Islamophobic and anti-Semitic acts and behaviors observed in recent weeks in Montreal. “Targeting Jewish schools and children with bullets is a crime that must be punished and which has no place in a metropolis like Montreal. Targeting Muslim places of worship is just as important,” she explains.
She also indicates that, as a civil servant, her role “concerns internal change”, and that she “does not have a public representation role”. Mme Manaï undertakes in particular “to meet representatives of the Arab-Muslim and Jewish communities”. The City of Montreal has not made any comments on the positions taken by its anti-racism commissioner.
“Bringing communities together”
Contacted by The dutyAref Salem, leader of the official opposition at Montreal City Hall, believes that Mme Manaï should have abstained. “The position of commissioner calls for a duty of reserve, to bring together and consult Montreal communities, not to divide them. After the recent public positions taken by Mme Manaï, the administration must ask itself the question of whether it still has the legitimacy and moral authority to occupy this function,” declared Mr. Salem.
The CIJA informed the Duty that he has “no confidence in Bochra Manaï”, and he asks him to resign “after weeks of inexcusable and disqualifying conduct”.
“The silence and inaction of the anti-racist commissioner after a historic week of anti-Semitic terrorism is shocking. M’s responseme Manai with Molotov cocktails hitting Jewish institutions: silence. His response to the bullets that hit Jewish schools: silence again. Instead, Mme Manaï chose to share content on social media from groups that celebrated the October 7 massacre by Hamas, including a group that celebrated with candy at a rally immediately after the massacre,” it said. Eta Yudin, vice-president of the organization.
The Office of the Commissioner for the Fight against Racism and Systemic Discrimination has the mandate to fight against racism and systemic discrimination with the aim of making Montreal a more just and inclusive city. Bochra Manaï took office on January 21, 2021.
According to the most recent figures from the City of Montreal Police Department, since the attacks of October 7, 41 hateful acts against the Jewish community and 14 against the Muslim community have been recorded on the island of Montreal.
During the night from Monday to Tuesday, 16 metro stations were also plastered with pro-Palestine posters, some bearing the slogan “Genocide in Palestine, Canada complicit”. Graffiti was also visible, particularly around the Jarry and Beaubien stations, on walls or informational posters from the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), but it was impossible to know if they were done during the night.
The STM is investigating and, on the law enforcement side, the case has been transferred to the City of Montreal Police Department, which will have to determine whether it is a hate crime. There is no incitement to hatred on the posters, stressed police spokesperson Sabrina Gauthier, but given the explosive context of the situation in the Middle East, the agents are on the lookout.
With Stéphanie Marin