The acts of vandalism claimed by pro-Palestine activists on Thursday at the office of the federal minister of immigration demonstrate the urgency of strengthening security measures around politicians, according to an expert consulted by The duty.
Minister Marc Miller said this was not an isolated incident. He and his team, as well as their Montreal office, are the target of insults or vandalism almost every day. “For months, my riding office has been threatened daily. We have done our best to take adequate precautionary measures in order to serve our fellow citizens who need our services,” Miller wrote on the X network. He did not want to grant an interview Thursday.
Several pro-Palestinian graffiti were written on the sidewalk in front of his office on Saint-Jacques Street, across from the Lionel-Groulx metro station. The windows were smashed and pink paint was thrown at the building. “Marc Miller child killer » (Marc Miller, child killer), « No justice no peace “(No peace without justice),” Genocide is not ok ” (Genocide is not acceptable)” could be read on the sidewalks in front of the office.
” Usually, [les activistes propalestiniens] come to demonstrate in front of the office, on the sidewalk. They have already put stickers on the windows. But serious misdeeds like this, this is the first time,” confirmed Montreal Police Service (SPVM) officer Nicolas Girard. No arrests had yet been made at the time of writing.
A video showing the ransacking quickly made the rounds on social media. “Tonight, activists came to visit this colonial institution that is Marc Miller’s office. This is a reminder that the mobilizations will not end and that we will not give in to the genocidal state,” can be read on the Instagram page clash.mtl. The video was apparently submitted to them anonymously.
“The political climate is deteriorating”
Threatening gestures and behaviors toward elected officials are concerning, according to Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a national security expert. For him, “the political climate is deteriorating in Quebec. There really needs to be an awareness of the risks, otherwise no one will want to go into politics anymore.”
Other MPs have been the target of violent acts in recent months, the former federal agent recalls. He gives the example of Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, who was challenged by an activist and defended herself. The increase in these events means that greater protection for elected officials is required, he believes. “There is no equivalent to Quebec’s Bill 57 at the federal level, but there should be one,” he says.
In Quebec, since June, the law protects provincial elected officials against people who intimidate them, harass them or hinder their work.
Marco Mendicino, Canada’s former Minister of Public Safety, reiterated on Thursday the need to also strengthen the protection of federal elected officials. “Democracy cannot function as long as parliamentarians, their families and their staff are not safe,” he said on the X platform.
Urgent action needed on temporary visas
Pro-Palestinian activists have been calling on Miller for months to “quickly issue visas to Palestinians in Gaza” and “improve immigration policies for Palestinians,” according to the X account OlinePalEng, which documents pro-Palestine activism around the world. They also criticize him for “supporting Israeli atrocities in Gaza.”
Thomas Woodley, president of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME), said the vandalism shows the “failure” of the temporary visa program for Palestinians with ties to Canada, launched by Ottawa last January. Obtaining this visa is “a matter of life and death for thousands [de Palestiniens] ” who are still caught in Gaza.
Minister Miller, for his part, stressed that he will not tolerate violent behavior. “We live in a democratic country. Every individual has every right to demonstrate, to express their opinions, and to make their discontent heard. However, regardless of the point of view, nothing can excuse vandalism and endangering others,” declared the MP on X.
Although the CJPME was not behind the vandalism, Mr. Woodley believes that “Canadians are right to be extremely frustrated,” he told the Duty. “While some may question the methods used by the protesters, there is no doubt that Minister Miller’s program to help Palestinians in Gaza with ties to Canada has been a dismal failure.”