Historic Raising of the Palestinian Flag at Toronto City Hall, As Solidarity Spreads Across Canada

In a landmark moment, the Palestinian flag was raised at Toronto City Hall on Monday, November 17 as several hundred people gathered to mark a “symbolic show of solidarity.”

According to The Canadian Press, aerial rooftop observers cheered and chanted “Free, free, Palestine” during the flag-raising ceremony.

The event was made possible after an Ontario Superior Court judge rejected a last-minute injunction sought by a pro-Israel advocacy group that had argued the flag raising would “endorse groups responsible for inciting violence.” According to the report, the court found no sufficient evidence to block the event.

Shane Martínez, a lawyer with the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP-Canada), said he was “very happy for the Palestinian community” and described the moment as “long overdue,” according to CityNews.

Toronto Police also made an arrest during the gathering. According to police, a 59-year-old man allegedly sprayed a noxious substance at another person in Nathan Phillips Square, though no injuries were reported.

Other Canadian Cities Join the Moment

Toronto was not alone in raising the flag.

The Palestinian flag was raised in Brampton in front of the municipal building on Nov. 16, marking what organizers say is the first time the flag has flown officially at that city’s municipal headquarters.

Mississauga also held a flag-raising ceremony at its city square on Nov. 16, under similar community-driven organization.

In Calgary, the flag was raised for the first time at City Hall on Nov. 16.

The ceremony in Toronto follows Canada’s formal recognition of the State of Palestine in September 2025.

According to TorontoToday.ca, this recognition paved the way for the flag-raising under Toronto’s “courtesy flagpole” policy, which allows non-profits to request raising the flags of countries recognized by Global Affairs Canada.

A City of Toronto spokesperson reiterated that permitting the flag to fly does not mean the city endorses any political stance: “use of the City’s courtesy flagpole … neither implies nor expresses support for the politics or policies of nations,” they said.

For ICJP-Canada, the event marks a powerful affirmation of Palestinian identity abroad.

The group said the raising of the flag “sends a clear message … that the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination … enjoys increasing solidarity in Canada.”