Jewish journalist ‘pulled off air’ after filming protest outside a synagogue on Yom Kippur

A Jewish journalist at Canada’s public broadcaster has reportedly been taken off air after filming protesters outside the Yom Kippur service he was attending.

Neil Herland, a veteran CBC journalist and producer, is facing disciplinary action following his posts about Monday night’s demonstration in Toronto, the Toronto Sun reported.

Herland was arriving at a Yom Kippur service held by The Song Shul at the Meridian Centre when he encountered around two dozen pro-Palestinian protesters outside.

Protesters were reported to have shouted “free Palestine” and “Zionist alert” as Jewish worshippers approached the building, while other remarks included “baby killer” and “You’re going to Hell”.

Herland began filming and later posted footage of the protest on his personal X account, where his first post has been viewed more than three million times.

“I’m a journalist. And I happen to be Jewish. On Yom Kippur I went to a synagogue service in Toronto and was met by protesters trying to taunt and intimidate me from entering the building,” he wrote.

Herland then spoke about his family’s experience of the Holocaust and his growing fears over antisemitism in Canada.

“My late father was an Austrian Jew who survived the Holocaust in Romania. He came to Canada as a refugee. This year I got an Austrian passport, in case Canada becomes unsafe for me as a Jew. I fear that moment is approaching, here in Canada and elsewhere.”

He added: “Jewish Canadians are living in a parallel world. Where police stand guard with guns outside synagogues. And Jewish schools, religious sites and businesses are targeted with bullets. And most Canadians have no awareness or understanding.”

Herland also said the synagogue’s cantor had announced that his nephew was murdered in Ukraine on Rosh Hashanah in a suspected hate crime.

The guest speaker at the service was an Australian-born university lecturer who had previously served as Israel’s ambassador to the UK.

Herland wrote: “His speech was about making peace in the Middle East. Let’s hope that happens this year.”

Following the posts, Herland was pulled from broadcasting duties and informed that he would be investigated, according to the Toronto Sun. A disciplinary hearing involving Herland and his lawyer was held on Thursday.

Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME), a pro-Palestinian advocacy organisation, said it had submitted a formal complaint about Herland to CBC.

CBC has not said whether the complaint was connected to the reported disciplinary action.

Asked about the proceedings, CBC spokesman Chuck Thompson said: “We don’t comment on internal meetings or HR matters.”

Herland has declined to comment separately on the disciplinary process on the advice of his lawyer.

The Song Shul has publicly backed the journalist. In an open letter, the synagogue leader Aliza Spiro said: “Neil Herland’s video recording accurately documented the siege outside our synagogue on this day. His tweets were journalistically accurate, as well as a much-appreciated public service to Canadians.”

She said some worshippers had been too frightened to leave their cars and instead went home, missing the final Yom Kippur service.

Jewish News has approached CBC for further comment.