3 charged after protests outside Toronto-area synagogue marketing occupied West Bank land

Three people have been charged following hours-long protests Thursday outside a Thornhill, Ont., synagogue, police say.

The arrests are tied to three different incidents at the demonstration in the Clark Avenue W. and Bathurst Street area, York Regional Police said in a news release Friday.

Demonstrators said they gathered to protest a real estate event that marketed occupied land in the West Bank, and counter-protesters showed up in response to a call-out from leaders of the synagogue.

Police would not confirm whether the accused were with the pro-Palestinian demonstrators or with the counter-protesters.

In the first incident, police say a man was found in the crowd carrying a knife. The 40-year-old Markham man has been charged with possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

In the second, a 32-year-old man from Vaughan allegedly assaulted a female victim. He has since been charged with assault.

And in a third incident, a woman allegedly threatened to spray a man with coyote repellent, similar to pepper spray, amid an altercation. The 48-year-old from Vaughan has been charged with possession of a weapon dangerous to the public and assault with a weapon.

Police say their hate crimes prevention unit is involved.

"York Regional Police takes these matters seriously and is reminding the community we will not tolerate any form of hate crime," police said in the news release.

Police are asking any witnesses or those with footage of the incidents to contact investigators or submit a tip anonymously to Crime Stoppers.