Is CBC News punishing a Jewish journalist for daring to document a local anti-Israel hate mob?
When Neil Herland was attempting to enter synagogue services in Toronto on September 21 on Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar (and coming less than a day after an anti-Jewish terrorist attack in Belleville, Ontario) he was met with a mob of anti-Israel demonstrators, screaming epithets because the place of worship (a rented venue used by the Song Shul) was featuring special remarks by Mark Regev, a former senior official in Israel who had once served as the Jewish State’s ambassador to the United Kingdom.
Herland – a CBC News journalist – posted the exchange to social media, which depicted screaming (and some masked) protesters holding Palestinian flags, with him writing that they were seeking to intimidate and taunt him, and saying they attempted to prevent him from entering the building for prayers. The video shows protesters telling Herland he was going to Hell and screaming “Zionist alert” when he approached.
The video exchange soon went viral, with his post amassing more than three million views within days and garnering media coverage.
Anti-Israel Pressure Group Targets the Journalist Who Documented the Protest
Almost instantly, Canadians for Justice & Peace in the Middle East (CJPME), an anti-Israel pressure group whose president, Yara Shoufani, has posted content to social media appearing in our view to glorify the October 7 massacres, launched a campaign, though not to condemn the actions by anti-Israel protesters, but to condemn Herland for documenting it.
Their letter – ostensibly sent to CBC News – accuses him of creating a “misleading” narrative and of allegedly violating the taxpayer-funded broadcaster’s journalistic standards.
Alleged Discipline Raises Questions About CBC’s Treatment of a Jewish Journalist
Incredibly, according to a confidential source within CBC News corresponding with HonestReporting Canada, it now seems that the broadcaster, rather than standing behind Herland and his right (some might argue, obligation) to document an anti-Israel hate mob protesting outside his synagogue services, he was allegedly hauled into an investigative hearing and was reportedly subjected to disciplinary action.
Additionally, and according to the source, Herland has been removed (perhaps temporarily) from his on-air position. It is unclear what, if anything, Herland has done wrong beyond documenting the ongoing harassment by anti-Israel agitators against Canadian Jews.
HonestReporting Canada reached out to CBC News, but was told they could not comment on internal personnel matters citing the need to respect employee privacy rights.
Toronto Sun investigative journalist Warren Kinsella was the first to report on the story of CBC’s apparent and alleged punishment of Herland, writing that the broadcaster’s “management quietly pulled Herland off the air – because he had documented a newsworthy event. One they apparently didn’t want documented.”
No less scandalously, Kinsella wrote that, when a synagogue representative went outside and smiled at protesters, they were told to stop “antagonizing” the mob.
Subsequent to Kinsella’s reporting, CBC has told Canadians that: “we are aware of reporting on this matter that contains errors and mischaracterizations.” When asked by HonestReporting Canada to explain the CBC’s position and how it is disputing present reporting on this issue, CBC declined to comment.
CBC Must Explain Its Standards on Antisemitism and Anti-Israel Intimidation
This is just the latest scandal to hit CBC News. Days before the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the broadcaster became the subject of global news coverage after an internal memorandum from Senior Director of Journalistic Standards Basem Boshra was leaked, where he informed staff not to describe the murder of some 3,000 civilians as terrorism. Following widespread outrage, it backtracked. However, it continues to refer to Palestinian terrorists as “militants,” avoiding the word “terrorist” unless attributed, for reasons that remain unclear and open the CBC to accusations of selective bias.
Importantly, in September 2025, CBC/Radio-Canada suspended its journalist, Élisa Serret, for engaging in antisemitism by uttering antisemitic tropes on air.
And now, CBC has reportedly and allegedly suspended its Jewish journalist Neil Herland for the crime of reporting on apparent antisemitism at anti-Israel hate mobs.
CBC News, as a major recipient of Canadian taxpayer funds, owes Canadians an answer as to whether they are penalizing one of their journalists simply because he documented an anti-Israel mob harassing him as he attempted to enter synagogue services.
As journalist Jesse Brown noted, CBC was “well on its way to becoming a judenfrei (Jew-free) broadcaster.” It should now explain whether those allegations are true.
