No arrests have been made after a heated exchange in Toronto’s Eaton Centre during a pro-Palestinian demonstration where a man appeared to threaten someone.
Toronto police said the demonstration, which involved around 150 people at the downtown mall, ended peacefully and no arrests were made.
A video circulating online appears to show a heated exchange, with pro-Palestinian protesters and Toronto police officers both visible in the footage.
The video appears to show a man with his face partly covered who tells someone he will “put you six feet deep” as part of a longer exchange in Toronto’s Eaton Centre.
The video was reportedly captured during a protest outside the fashion outlet Zara.
A spokesperson for Toronto police told Global News police were on the scene to “keep the peace” and that the group left the Eaton Centre “without incident.” Police said no arrests were made.
Police confirmed, after reviewing the video, that the demonstrator and another person “exchanged words,” while officers kept them apart.
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The force said Monday that no arrests were made and said that, with tensions high, officers used “their best judgement” to manage the situation.
“The mall was very busy with holiday shoppers, and officers used their training to de-escalate the situation and disperse the crowd.”
The Toronto police union later posted on social media to explain that “threats were directed to a member of the public, not police” during the demonstration.
“The victim chose not to pursue the matter,” the Toronto Police Association said in a post. “TPA members are working each day to ensure protests do not escalate & we are grateful for their efforts.”
Global News contacted police Tuesday to ask if any investigation was ongoing related to the incident but did not receive a response in time for publication.
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The exchange outside Zara came after the Spanish fashion brand pulled advertising images that to some appeared to reference the conflict in Gaza.
The images for a line of jackets included what the company called “unfinished sculptures in a sculptor’s studio.” But some online critics said one image of a model holding a wrapped-up mannequin resembled someone holding a corpse.
Other photos included a mannequin with missing limbs and a figure wrapped in fabric or plastic on the floor, according to news reports.
The company apologized in a statement posted on Instagram and said the campaign was conceived in July and photographed in September. Hamas’s attack on Israel took place on Oct. 7, and prompted Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip, including months of air strikes.
— with files from The Canadian Press
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