Toronto city councillor James Pasternak is calling on the Ontario Provincial Police to prevent what he calls an “illegal protest” planned this week on overpasses along 400-series highways.
Pasternak, who represents Ward 6, York Centre, issued a statement Wednesday urging law enforcement to act preemptively against what he called a “dangerous distraction” on some of Canada’s busiest transportation corridors.
“Hateful demonstrators are intending to block traffic at a number of highway overpasses throughout the region,” Pasternak said. “These acts are reprehensible and constitute a dangerous distraction on one of Canada’s busiest routes.”
The protest is expected to begin at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at multiple highway overpasses.
The date, May 15, marks Nakba Day—an annual day of protest and remembrance for Palestinians. While Pasternak’s statement did not name the group organizing the protest or specify the cause, it was clearly referencing the wave of pro-Palestinian demonstrations held across Canada in recent months, which he described as “hateful.”
Pasternak warned that the protest poses serious safety risks by deliberately distracting drivers travelling at high speeds, potentially leading to accidents, injuries, or fatalities.
“This form of activism is extremely dangerous because its primary purpose is to distract drivers operating cars at speeds of up to 120 km/h or more,” he said.
Pasternak pointed to existing legislation, including Regulation 627 of Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act, which prohibits pedestrians from accessing controlled-access roadways as justification for calling on police intervention to block the protest from happening.
“Anyone who violates this provision should be charged with mischief under section 430 of the Criminal Code of Canada,” Pasternak said.
The councillor emphasized that critical infrastructure such as highways must be protected from disruptions that put motorists at risk and compromise public order.
The Ontario Provincial Police did not respond in time to a request for comment on whether they plan to intervene in the protest.
Pasternak is also Jewish and has spoken publicly of his experiences being targeted for his pro-Israel views.
In 2012, he led an initiative to defund Toronto Pride over the inclusion of the group Queers Against Israeli Apartheid, citing what he described as the group’s anti-Israel messaging.