{"id":259734,"date":"2026-08-22T02:17:17","date_gmt":"2026-08-22T02:17:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/259734\/"},"modified":"2026-08-22T02:17:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T02:17:17","slug":"footage-of-toronto-pro-israel-event-misrepresented-as-recent-christian-march-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/259734\/","title":{"rendered":"Footage of Toronto pro-Israel event misrepresented as recent Christian march"},"content":{"rendered":"

Social media users spread a video claiming it showed tens of thousands of Christians demonstrating in Canada’s largest city, but the footage was lifted from another event. The clip actually shows crowds during a “Walk with Israel” march organized by Jewish groups in Toronto.<\/p>\n

“Happening now! Over 60,000 CHRISTIANS MARCH on the streets of Toronto,” claims an August 19, 2026 X post<\/a> sharing the video.<\/p>\n

The footage shows a large crowd of people walking down a wide street, as a speaker describes spotting “blue and white” for “as far as the eye can see.”<\/p>\n

The clip spread with the claim that it showed a Christian demonstration in posts across TikTok<\/a>, Instagram<\/a> and Facebook<\/a>, where it was shared<\/a> by American conservative commentator David J Harris Jr<\/a>, who has repeatedly<\/a> spread misinformation<\/a> fact-checked by AFP<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"<span>Screenshot<\/p>\n

Screenshot of an X post taken August 20, 2026<\/p>\n

\"<span>Screenshot<\/p>\n

Screenshot of a Facebook post taken August 20, 2026<\/p>\n

The posts follow several videos AFP has debunked<\/a>, including two falsely claimed by Harris<\/a>\u00a0to show Christians<\/a> and their houses of worship are under threat in Canada.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The francophone province of Quebec did pass a law<\/a> in 2025 limiting\u00a0 public prayer<\/a>, but for all religions<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And despite the\u00a0 cancellation<\/a> of several 2025 concerts<\/a> by an American Christian nationalist singer, gatherings supporting Christian<\/a> unity take place in Canada (archived here<\/a>).\u00a0<\/p>\n

A judge ruled<\/a> in July 2026 that a former provincial tourism minister in Quebec violated freedom of expression laws when she blocked a Christian group’s event three years earlier (archived\u00a0 here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

But the footage claimed to show a Toronto march of tens of thousands of Christians is misrepresented.<\/p>\n

Reverse image searches<\/a> lead to earlier<\/a> social media posts<\/a> with similar footage describing the scene as a pro-Israel event<\/a>, specifically<\/a> the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto’s<\/a> annual ” Walk with Israel<\/a>” fundraiser which most recently took place June 7, 2026 and reported<\/a> 60,000 attendees (archived here<\/a>, here<\/a>, here<\/a> and here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The large presence in the clip of Israel’s blue and white flag<\/a> with the Star of David, also reveals an association with the Walk with Israel event (archived here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The non-profit organization describes<\/a> the event as a declaration of “Jewish pride” and “unwavering support for the people of Israel.”<\/p>\n

AFP reached out to the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto about the social media claims but did not receive a response.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Using geolocation, AFP determined the footage misrepresented on social media matches a location seen in Walk with Israel’s promotional material<\/a> (archived here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The route advertised<\/a> for the event spanned Wilson Avenue and Bathurst Street in the North York neighborhood, which historically has a\u00a0 high<\/a> Jewish population<\/a> (archived here<\/a>, here<\/a> and here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

A light brown building with a vertical window design seen in the social media posts visually matches a structure found at\u00a0 3845 Bathurst Street<\/a> on Google Street View (archived here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\"<span>Screenshot<\/p>\n

Screenshot of an X video taken August 21, 2026 with highlights added by AFP<\/p>\n

\"<span>Screenshot<\/p>\n

Screenshot of Google Street View taken August 21, 2026 with highlights added by AFP<\/p>\n

A vantage point several meters down the block at the intersection<\/a> of Bathurst Street and Invermay Avenue can be seen in one of the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto’s videos with the same light brown building in the background (archived here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\"<span>Screenshot<\/p>\n

Screenshot of a YouTube video taken August 21, 2026 with highlights added by AFP<\/p>\n

\"<span>Screenshot<\/p>\n

Screenshot of Google Street View taken August 21, 2026 with highlights added by AFP<\/p>\n

The official footage of the event does show a group of people with a sign saying, “Christians Support Israel.” There were also participants carrying LGBTQ Pride banners and the Iranian lion and sun flag<\/a> that was used before the 1979 Islamic Revolution (archived here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Read more of AFP’s reporting on misinformation in Canada\u00a0 here<\/a>.<\/p>\n