Rima Hassan visit must be denounced over antisemitism and glorification of terror, critics say
rima hassan, a Member of the European Parliament for La France insoumise, was prevented from entering Canada days before two conferences scheduled in Montreal on March 30 and March 31 (ET). Organizers had invited her to speak on the fight against fascism and to appear alongside Québec Solidaire and the New Democratic Party, provoking sharp public backlash. Critics say the trip should be denounced because of past statements, slogans she has defended, and ties to episodes of violence linked to a militia group.
Rima Hassan barred from Canada; organisers move events online
Canadian authorities opened a review of Rima Hassan’s travel request after an initial authorization, and the eurodeputy announced she would deliver the two scheduled conferences remotely on the evenings originally planned (ET). La France insoumise said the request had first been accepted and that an examination was later opened at the end of a working day. Rima Hassan posted that she was prevented from travelling to Canada and called the move a worrying obstruction to parliamentary action and to freedom of expression.
The denial has intensified an already heated debate over her public record: critics point to previous statements that described Hamas action as “legitimate, ” her use and defense of the slogan “From the river to the sea, ” and suggestions that positions were influenced by a Jewish communal body. Organisers in Montreal say the planned forums were intended to address resistance to the far right and solidarity movements, but opponents insist the invitation normalises extremist rhetoric.
Allegations, past incidents and institutional reactions
Observers and legal commentators have catalogued a string of contentious positions linked to Rima Hassan’s political trajectory. French lawyer Richard Malka described that trajectory in stark terms, calling it a “left of darkness” and a “vertigo of obscenity. ” The Centre consultatif des relations juives et israéliennes (CIJA) signed a letter urging denunciation of the visit and accused her of supporting antisemitism and the glorification of terrorism.
Violent episodes have been tied to the ecosystem around events attended by Rima Hassan. On May 27, 2024 (ET), eight members of the Jeune Garde militia who were providing event security were implicated in a violent assault in the Paris metro against a 15-year-old alleged to be Jewish. Separately, the death of a controversial far-right activist occurred on the margins of a conference where she had appeared; those events have been cited by critics as evidence of a dangerous environment linked to some gatherings where she participates.
Background and the immediate fallout
Rima Hassan is a French-Palestinian politician and jurist who founded the Observatory of Refugee Camps in 2019 and has described her origins in the Neirab refugee camp in Syria. She has also participated in humanitarian flotillas and other solidarity actions focused on Palestine. Her party has pointed to previous instances where she and delegation members were denied entry to other states, and it says complaints for glorifying terrorism were filed in some jurisdictions but did not result in convictions.
What’s next
La France insoumise has framed the travel denial as a restriction on free expression and parliamentary work; CIJA and other critics maintain public safety and the fight against antisemitism require firm denunciation. The remote conferences will go ahead on the scheduled evenings (ET), and stakeholders on all sides are expected to issue further statements in the coming days. The dispute over rima hassan’s presence in Montreal is likely to remain a focal point for debates on campus activism, party ties, and how public hosts vet invited speakers.
