Muslim Association Speaker with Hamas Ties Barred from Entering Canada

Anas Altikriti, a prominent Muslim activist and speaker scheduled for the Muslim Association of Canada’s annual convention in Toronto, was denied entry into Canada by border authorities. After undergoing eleven hours of questioning at Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Altikriti was deported back to the United Kingdom. While officials cited his failure to disclose a previous U.S. visa denial as the official reason, Altikriti claimed this was a pretext driven by political pressure regarding his views on Palestine. The incident has drawn significant attention due to Altikriti’s controversial history, including meetings with Hamas leadership and social media posts where he described the October 7 terrorist attacks as a lie and endorsed hostage-taking. Jewish groups and anti-extremist organizations had previously criticized the conference lineup, with B’nai Brith noting multiple speakers with alleged links to extremist organizations. The Muslim Association of Canada, which recently hosted an event with Prime Minister Mark Carney, faces scrutiny over its choice of keynote presenters.