Saudi cleric barred from Montreal venue over concerns from Jewish groups

A Montreal theatre has denied the use of its venue for an event featuring controversial Saudi cleric Assim Al-Hakeem who has described Jews as enemies of Islam, Jewish groups announced on Friday.

Assim Al-Hakeem, was scheduled to speak at the Théâtre Rialto as part of a Sunday charity event organised by Penny Appeal Canada.

However, following concerns raised by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) and B’nai Brith Canada, the theatre informed the groups that it would not be hosting the event.

“Théâtre Rialto has informed us that they have cancelled host Sheikh Assim Al-Hakeem’s event this weekend and will not host his tour stop,” CIJA stated on social media. The organisation cited the cleric’s “antisemitic and homophobic rhetoric” as a threat to the safety of the local community.

The event was part of Al-Hakeem’s speaking tour across Canada, which has sparked outrage from politicians and Jewish organisations.

The Eventbrite pages for the Montreal event, as well as upcoming events in London and Vancouver, were deleted following the theatre’s decision.

Additionally, promotional content for the tour was removed from Penny Appeal Canada’s website and social media channels.

The controversy surrounding Al-Hakeem extends beyond Montreal. In Winnipeg, where the cleric was scheduled to speak on August 21, B’nai Brith Canada called on St. Peter’s Church and the Archdiocese of Winnipeg to cancel the event. Although the Archdiocese issued a statement indicating that the church was instructed to disinvite Al-Hakeem, the disinvitation did not occur.

The Saudi cleric has a history of making inflammatory statements. In a recent video, Al-Hakeem referred to Jews as having an inherent hatred for Muslims, claiming that the events in Gaza demonstrated this enmity.

He has also criticised the teaching of the Holocaust in schools and has alleged that Jews have conspired against Islam throughout history.

The backlash in Canada has been swift, with politicians like Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-François Blanchet and Thornhill MP Melissa Lantsman condemning Al-Hakeem’s presence in the country.

Blanchet questioned why the cleric was allowed to enter Canada, while Lantsman criticised the Trudeau government for permitting him to spread hate across the nation.

CIJA warned that Al-Hakeem’s visit is part of a troubling trend in which “radical Islamist, antisemitic and homophobic speakers” are being invited to Canada to hold events, raising concerns about the rise of hate speech in the country.