Speaker’s venue shifted after police visit rabbi

JDL director Meir Weinstein

The U.S. woman at the centre of a controversy that saw a synagogue cancel her speaking engagement is warning Canadians to be vigilant over police infringement of free speech.

Pamela Geller, who was slated to speak May 13 at the Chabad @ Flamingo Synagogue accused York Region Police (YRP) of “enforcing sharia [Islamic] law. That’s what this is, that under blasphemy laws you cannot criticize or offend Islam. That’s shocking.”

Geller is executive director of Stop Islamification of America, which opposes construction of a mosque near Ground Zero in New York. The group has also sponsored anti-jihad advertisements in subways and buses. Her critics accuse her of Islamophobia.

Last week, Insp. Ricky Veerappan, head of YRP’s diversity, equity and inclusion section, along with members of the force’s hate crimes unit, visited Rabbi Mendel Kaplan, spiritual leader of Chabad @ Flamingo, at the synagogue. The Jewish Defence League (JDL) had rented space in the synagogue for the event.

Veerappan said police told the rabbi they would reconsider his position as a volunteer chaplain with the force if the event went ahead as planned.

Veerappan did not respond to a request from The CJN for an interview and Rabbi Kaplan declined to comment. In a news release, YRP stated,  “Free speech is the right of every citizen and YRP recognizes that. However, some of Ms. Geller’s previous comments clearly conflict with the values of our organization and our continuous work to enhance relationships in all our diverse communities.

“Rabbi Kaplan’s connection to Ms. Geller’s event posed a concern for YRP as it would put our organization in conflict with our long-held position of inclusivity.

“Rabbi Kaplan decided to cancel Ms. Geller’s appearance as it would place him in conflict with the values of our organization, which support a safe, welcoming and inclusive community for all.”

Geller, however, said there is nothing in the record that would warrant police interference in a matter of public policy which should be protected by the right to free speech.

“There is a global jihad. We’re not allowed to talk about it?” she asked.

Geller said some “Islamic-supremacist groups have tried to stop her in the United States. That’s not new. What’s new is law enforcement [doing it]. That’s the really big difference.”

Geller said the visit by police “intimidated” Rabbi Kaplan. “Religious leaders are not equipped to deal with that.”

Geller, who publishes the AtlasShrugs.com blog site, questioned Veerappan’s statement that her presence would contradict the YRP’s values. She said she speaks against gender apartheid, ethnic apartheid and Jew-hatred. “What exactly are his values?”

JDL director Meir Weinstein said the synagogue “caved in” to police intimidation. At worst, he said, police should have attended the lecture to see for themselves if there were any violations of the law.

Responding to the incident, columnist Salim Mansur published an open letter to YRP Chief Eric Jolliffe.

“I am appalled that in this day and age we continue to hear regularly how the liberal democratic tradition of Canada and the West is being systematically shredded by institutions sworn to protect it,” he wrote.

“I submit your intentions might very well be of some merit as a guardian of law and order. But those pushing for preventing Ms. Geller from speaking by putting pressure on Rabbi Kaplan to deny the use of his synagogue for holding her event are people I know very well. These are people, Muslims as I am, who come from cultures that have no respect for individual rights and freedoms enshrined in our constitution, and while making home here in Canada have no respect for the culture of this country,” Mansur added.

“They need to learn the culture of a free society, of a society that is open to debates and discussions however painful this might be to someone else’s sensibilities. But if you concede to their demands, all that you would be doing is indulging them, heeding their wishes and threats, and slowly, intentionally or not, bending Canada’s tradition in the direction of the ruined cultures of these people which they have brought with them and want to push into our society.”

Geller’s speaking engagement was shifted to the Toronto Zionist Centre.

It will mark her first visit to Toronto.

“What a welcome wagon,” she said.