Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow Faces Criticism After Saying “Free Palestine” at Pride Parade
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow is facing sharp backlash after a video surfaced showing her expressing support for Palestine during Sunday’s Pride Parade, an event meant to celebrate love and inclusion.
The incident occurred on June 28, 2026, as Chow was walking along Yonge Street during the Toronto Pride Parade. In the video, a Palestinian supporter wearing black sunglasses and a black T-shirt approached the mayor and asked, “Can we get a ‘Free Palestine’?”
Chow responded by saying, “Yes. Free Palestine.”
The comment has proven highly divisive, particularly given the ongoing tensions in Toronto since Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. Chow has previously faced criticism for not doing enough to address anti-Semitism in the city, and this latest incident has only intensified that scrutiny.
Swift Social Media Backlash
Reaction on social media was immediate and pointed. One X user wrote, “And the media people are wondering why people on social media can’t be more polite but respond with insulting rudeness to these types of mindless, brain dead and ignorant voter politicians.”
Other commenters raised political concerns. One post stated, “She did the political calculation and determined that it was more advantageous to be on the side of the Palestinians. Will the Zionists block her re-election?” Another user noted, “She never participated in Toronto’s Walk with Israel. Hopefully voters will punish her for pursuing diaspora politics with clear bias.”
Former mayor John Tory has also previously criticized Chow for not being “visible” enough in the fight against anti-Semitism, adding further context to the current controversy.
Chow’s Main Rival Responds
Brad Bradford, Chow’s main challenger in the upcoming Toronto mayoral election, was also present at the parade but took a markedly different approach. When asked about the video, Bradford told the Toronto Sun, “I haven’t seen the video. Sunday was about celebrating the queer community and that’s exactly what I did. I can’t comment on that, but my message was: Toronto is a diverse and inclusive city with a rich history. I was there to support the Pride Parade as an ally and that was my message.”
However, Bradford did not shy away from broader criticism of the mayor. “Mayor Chow is in many ways more divisive than not, and she has torn apart the social fabric of this city in many hurtful and unhelpful ways,” he said. “We need to get past this and come back together and unite as a city because Toronto today, despite some of the things that have happened, is not the Toronto that I recognize and is not the Toronto that I want to be a part of. So we have to fix that.”
The mayor was also seen clubbing during Pride weekend in several videos posted online, dancing and gyrating to music.
The Toronto Sun reached out to Mayor Chow for comment but had not received a response as of Monday evening.
