A 33-year-old Toronto man with suspected ties to Hamas is facing a terrorism charge following his alleged conduct during a 2024 demonstration.
Toronto police say the man attended a pair of pro-Palestinian demonstrations on May 25, 2024 and Sept. 7, 2024, where they allege he used an amplification device to make public statements calling for harm against members of the Israeli and Jewish communities.
On Mar. 7, 2025, a search warrant was executed at a Toronto home, and multiple electronic devices were seized. With the assistance of the Toronto Police Service Hate Crime Unit and the RCMP, investigators uncovered evidence to support claims that the man acted on behalf of Hamas.
On July 21, 2026, Ahmad Hassan Hajahmad was arrested and charged with participating in or contributing to activities of a terrorist group. No further details of the investigation have been released due to a publication ban.
“Investigations into criminal offences committed at demonstrations do not end when the event is over,” Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw said in a statement.
“These complex investigations underscore the importance of continuing to strengthen our Counter Terrorism Security Unit so we can identify and investigate evolving threats to public safety. We will continue to hold those who break the law accountable, no matter how long it takes.”
The lawyer for the accused tells CityNews that Hajahmad has no connection to a terrorist group, adding he has not been charged with advocating hatred or harm against a particular group or individual.
“Mr. Hajahmad is presumed innocent and has no connection to Hamas or any other foreign group. He faces a single charge arising from speaking at public demonstrations. No violence, no weapon, no one harmed. Speaking out at a protest about the killing of civilians is protected expression, not terrorism,” said Mohamed El Rashidy. “We’ll be looking closely at how and why this case came to be, and we’re confident it won’t hold up when measured against the law.”
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs called on all levels of government to continue to do more to prevent deadly attacks that have already been carried out in the U.S., England and Australia.
“It is chilling that a Toronto man has been charged with acting for the benefit of and in association with Hamas, a banned terrorist organization,” said CIJA CEO Noah Shack.
“Governments and authorities across Canada must do more to confront those who are radicalizing people in our streets to support violence and promote terrorist organizations, and ensure police and national security agencies have the counter-terrorism resources they need to enforce the law and keep Canadians safe.”
