(Toronto) Toronto police have charged three people accused of disrupting Scotiabank’s prestigious Giller Prize ceremony Monday evening with an anti-Israel protest.
Investigators say the three people, aged 23 to 25, used falsified documents to gain access to the invitation-only literary event, which took place at the Four Seasons Hotel.
The three people are accused of obstruction of property and use of falsified documents. They are due to appear in court again in January.
During the evening, two waves of protesters took the stage, the first carrying signs reading “Scotiabank Funds Genocide.”
Pro-Palestinian groups have challenged Scotiabank’s investment in an Israeli arms company.
The second group of protesters disrupted the ceremony as Sarah Bernstein was named the winner of the $100,000 prize, shouting anti-Israel slogans before being escorted outside and arrested.
Elana Rabinovitch, executive director of the Giller Prize, released a statement saying the protesters “disrespected Canadian authors and their literary achievements of the year.”