B’nai Brith Canada on Thursday demanded that a federal corporation be dissolved after it organized a vigil endorsing terrorist groups and calling for death to the United States.
The incident in question took place last Sunday evening, when a small group gathered in front of the US Consulate in downtown Toronto to mark the death of Qassem Soleimani, the former leader of the IRGC Qods Force, a designated terrorist entity in Canada.
The rally was led by Firas al-Najim and his federal not-for-profit corporation “Canadian Defenders for Human Rights (CD4HR).”
Al-Najim delivered an Arabic-language speech at the event, which has been translated by B’nai Brith Canada and in which he promised, “We will continue fighting alongside… Hamas in Palestine and Hezbollah in Lebanon.”
He then led the crowd in a highly disturbing chorus of “Death to America!” in both Arabic and Farsi.
In response, B’nai Brith wrote to François-Phillipe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, insisting that his office dissolve CD4HR as a corporate entity. According to Corporations Canada, CD4HR’s 2020 and 2021 filings are also overdue.
“The Government of Canada must act against antisemitism and the promotion of terrorist groups,” said Michael Mostyn, Chief Executive Officer of B’nai Brith Canada. “Corporate status bestowed by the Government cannot be allowed to serve as a vehicle for such nefarious ends.”
The “Death to America” slogan is regularly shouted at rallies in Iran. Former President Hassan Rouhani, often touted as a “moderate” president, personally presided over “Death to America” chants during rallies in Iran, even though he claimed that Iranians “respect the American people”.Ad Unmute
Similarly, former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, with whom the Obama administration negotiated the 2015 nuclear deal, was caught on camera joining in a public chant against the US, UK, and Israel.
Lawmakers in the Iranian parliament have also been documented chanting “Death to America” during a session.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, claimed a few years ago that the slogan “Death to America” is directed at then-President Donald Trump and US leaders and not at the American nation.
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