‘When you think they can’t sink any lower, they do,’ said Raquel Look, a Montreal woman whose son, Alexandre, was murdered on Oct. 7, 2023
NATIONAL POST – By Chris Lambie
Published Oct 06, 2025
https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-oct-7-martyrs-events-panned-for-glorifying-terrorism
Hamas victims’ families and Canadian Jewish groups are condemning anti-Israel protesters’ plans for events commemorating the “martyrs of Palestine” on Tuesday, the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks.
“When you think they can’t sink any lower, they do,” said Raquel Look, a Montreal woman whose son, Alexandre, was murdered on Oct. 7, 2023, after attending the Nova Music Festival in Re’im, southern Israel.
Alexandre, a 33-year-old Canadian who lived and worked in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, was in Israel on vacation when he was killed, said his mom.
“I had to wait three weeks for Alex’s body to come home, and it was a hell I don’t wish upon anyone,” she said.
Social media posts indicate there are events planned at several Canadian universities, including Concordia, McGill and the University of Toronto, that would appear to glorify the October 7 attacks.
On Tuesday morning, Concordia released a statement that said “all in-person classes and activities on the Sir George Williams Campus, including labs,” were cancelled due to “potentially obstructive protests.”
“Faculty and staff who normally work on the SGW Campus are asked to work remotely, if possible,” it said.
The decision came after “two individuals were arrested following the disruption of a class and midterm exam” on Monday, the university’s President and Vice-Chancellor Graham Carr said in an email sent to the “Concordia community” and shared with National Post.
“One of those arrested was later discovered to be in possession of a metal bar and several incendiary devices,” he said, adding that the individuals were not part of the Concordia community.
With many planned protests, “the threat of extreme disruption is simply too high to operate as usual,” said Carr.
Montreal police confirmed there were two arrests during protests on Concordia campus on Monday. One person was arrested for mischief and the other one for assault of a security guard, Montreal police spokesperson Raphaël Bergeron told National Post.
An event at the University of Toronto Mississauga will be, “honouring our martyrs,” says social media post from the the school’s students’ union, which promotes a gathering slated for 3 p.m. Tuesday outside the school’s student centre.
“We remember our martyrs, we honour their legacy, and we continue the fight for a free Palestine,” says the Instagram post from the school’s student union.
An Instagram account dubbed “Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights McGill” posted a notice about an Oct. 7 rally planned for 1 p.m. at Concordia’s Hall Building. “It is time for students to take action in support of Palestine and its resistance,” says the post.