On January 10 at 1:00 pm, anti-immigrant protesters gathered at Nathan Phillips Square before marching through downtown Toronto to the Eaton Centre, drawing a strong counter-protest and police presence. During the protest and counter-protest, Toronto Police Service (TPS) arrested eight individuals, three of whom were charged with assaulting a peace officer.

Anti-immigrant demonstrators held signs that read “Make Canada Great Again” and “Stop the invasion” as families spent the Saturday afternoon skating on the rink next to the demonstration. A substantially larger group of counter-protesters was also present, chanting “Go home losers, go home racists,” and “shame!”

TPS presence at the demonstration was extensive, with more than 10 squad cars parked along Queen Street West. At Nathan Phillips Square, over 20 officers formed a barricade to contain counter-protesters. No similar measures were taken to contain the anti-immigrant demonstrators.

Around 2:00 pm, the anti-immigrant group began its march toward the Eaton Centre, which lasted more than two hours. Counter-protesters followed in opposition. TPS officers accompanied the march and blocked traffic at Dundas Street West and parts of Yonge Street to keep the march moving.

Members of the Canada First group carried Canadian flags and banners with slogans such as “fit in or fuck off” and “we need some Canadian ICE,” and some chanted calls for “quality immigrants only.”

Onlookers and counter-protesters shouted back, with some identifying themselves as immigrants and accusing the protesters of spreading hateful and exclusionary messages.

Canada First and dance troupes 

The anti-immigrant protest was organized by the Canada First Movement, a community organizing group founded by Joe Anidjar, the group’s president. The movement’s website lists sovereignty as one of its four pillars, stating “Protect Canadian Culture, Traditions, and Identity by ending unchecked and unvetted mass immigration.” 

A key aspect of Canadian sovereignty, the website reads, is that “Decisions for our future should be made by Canadians for Canadians.” Despite this, many Canada First demonstrators wielded Trump 2024 flags. The US president has repeatedly said he wants to annex Canada and make it the US’s 51st state. 

The Canada First Movement did not respond to The Varsity’s request for comment.

Joining the counterprotesters were more than 20 members of the Auntie Fashion Dance Troupe, who use “dance and joy to protect community, celebrate diversity, and resist hate,” according to the group’s Instagram bio.

“Members of our group followed alongside the march on public sidewalks, not as participants, but to observe and to continue holding a peaceful, joyful counter-presence,” troupe members Av and Taylor wrote in an email to The Varsity, “and to let the public observing this spectacle know that not all Canadians agreed with their calls for mass deportation.” 

No members of the dance troupe were among those arrested during the protest.

“The fact that we couldn’t play music on the square and that the cops ushered us off the street to make way for the Anti immigration march was certainly a blow for democracy and our constitutional right to assemble,” Av and Taylor added. 

The Toronto Police Service did not immediately respond to The Varsity’s request for comment.