Toronto police say they have put enhanced security measures in place ahead of a large community march scheduled for this Sunday. According to CBC News, the force is preparing for the annual Walk with Israel, a pro-Israel event, and has set up road restrictions in the area along with a visible policing operation designed to keep participants and residents safe as the walk moves through the city.
Members of the public can expect to see officers stationed on foot, on bicycles and on horseback both at the walk itself and throughout the surrounding neighbourhoods. Police described the deployment as a way to support public safety, manage traffic and crowds, and allow officers to respond quickly to any incidents or concerns that might arise over the course of the day.
The service said it has been working closely with the event organizer, the United Jewish Appeal Federation, as well as with neighbouring police services to coordinate the operation. Officials indicated that there will be a significant police presence in the area, drawing on officers from several jurisdictions rather than relying on a single local detachment to cover the route.
A deputy chief said the force is committed to protecting lawful protests and gatherings, while also making clear that officers will investigate any suspected hate speech or hateful signage seen during the event. That framing positions the deployment as one meant both to safeguard the march and to respond to any conduct that crosses the line into criminal behaviour.
Organizers described the walk as an opportunity for people to come together. A representative said the Jewish community and its allies are looking for a moment to unite and stand in solidarity, and to feel proud not only as members of that community but also as Canadians able to walk freely in the country, language that set the tone for how the event is being presented.
The gathering is expected to be sizeable. CBC News reported that last year's walk drew a record turnout of just over 56,000 people, and that registration numbers this year suggest the event will be of a very similar size. Registration for participants starts at 36 dollars for adults, according to the information shared about the walk.
The annual Walk with Israel is set to begin at nine in the morning, starting from a synagogue near Wilson Avenue and Avenue Road. With the route, the road closures and the multi-jurisdictional police plan now confirmed, attention turns to Sunday itself, when the scale of both the turnout and the security operation will become clear on the streets of Toronto.