Police order B.C. woman who praised Hamas not to protest for 5 months, says her group
A pro-Palestinian activist group says its international co-ordinator, who was arrested in a Vancouver hate-crime investigation, was released with an order not to attend any protests for the next five months.
The Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network says Charlotte Kates was arrested by Vancouver police after she gave a speech last week praising the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas as “heroic and brave.”
Samidoun, an international activist group based in Vancouver that has organized protests about the Israel-Hamas war, says in a statement that Kates was briefly detained by police before being released on condition she not attend any “protests, rallies or assemblies,” until a court date on Oct. 8.
It says she has been charged, but a spokeswoman for the B.C. Prosecution Service says it does not have a file on Kates and it's waiting for a report from police to the Crown.
The Samidoun statement calls the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas “a legitimate military operation,” but Hamas is designated as a terrorist entity in Canada.
The attack killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, setting off Israel's offensive in Gaza that the Health Ministry there says has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians.
A subsequent email from Samidoun says Kates did not write their original statement, which is attributed to the Canada Palestine Association. The group did not say who specifically wrote it.
During question period at the B.C. legislature on Thursday, Michael Lee, the BC United member for Vancouver-Langara, said there is a disturbing pattern of hate against Jewish students at universities in the province.
“Antisemitic encampments have spread from (the University of British Columbia) to the University of Victoria to Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo.”
Lee said Kates is supporting the encampments on behalf of the group Samidoun.
“Samidoun has received government funding, but has strong connections to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the PFLP, a listed terrorist entity in Canada.”
While McGill University has asked police help to protect student safety at a pro-Palestinian encampment there, B.C. has done nothing, Lee said, asking why the government hasn't acted.
Lisa Beare, the post-secondary education minister, replied that celebrating murder is completely unacceptable and it is disappointing to see people use such tragedies to promote hate.
“Universities, colleges and institutes across the province do have the policies in place to allow for a peaceful protest, while also ensuring everyone on campus is safe and I expect all the institutes to find that balance,” Beare said.
A representative at the University of B.C. encampment said she didn't know the details of Kates's case and declined to comment on the allegations on Thursday.
“What did transpire a few days ago was certainly unfortunate,” said the spokeswoman, identifying herself only by a first name, Sam.
“We're a decentralized encampment with no affiliation with any groups or specific people or organizations, off-campus and within campus,” Sam said.
“The folks here are here on autonomous free will.”
Vancouver police did not respond to a request for confirmation of any conditions that Kates may have been released under. They previously said a 44-year-old woman had been arrested over a speech last Friday in which she “referred to a number of terrorist organizations as heroes.”
Samidoun is a federally registered non-profit that is based in an East Vancouver home that is also registered as Kates's address. It has been involved in promoting or organizing numerous pro-Palestinian protests since last Oct. 7.
Video of Friday's rally shows a woman leading the crowd outside the Vancouver Art Gallery in a chant of “long live Oct. 7” and calling the attackers “heroic and brave.”
B.C. Premier David Eby has said the speech was “the most hateful” he could imagine.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 2, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From AI running wild to collapsing ecosystems, government report outlines future disruptions
From artificial intelligence running wild to collapsing ecosystems, a new Canadian government report outlines 35 disruptions that could rattle the country in the near future.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
Matthew Perry's death is being investigated over ketamine level found in actor's blood, reports say
An investigation has been opened into the death of Matthew Perry and how the “Friends” actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
Police in Ontario say suspects charged in armed home invasion near Toronto part of 'larger criminal network'
Police in Ontario say a group of suspects charged in an armed home invasion north of Toronto last year were driving a vehicle stolen in a carjacking in Calgary just one month earlier.
Stolen septic truck swerves through traffic, spike belt needed to stop it: Manitoba RCMP
A 29-year-old woman has been charged after police say she stole a septic truck from a Manitoba community and drove erratically on the highway.
Orphan orca's extended family spotted off northeast side of Vancouver Island
Members of a killer whale pod related to an orphan orca calf that escaped a remote British Columbia tidal lagoon last month have been spotted off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.