Freedom of expression is a cherished right in Canada, but it is not without limits. Just as one cannot yell “fire” in a crowded theatre, one cannot paralyze downtown Ottawa in the name of protest — regardless of the cause.

So, what on earth has happened since then? What happened to the rule of law that authorities were so focused on then?

Over the last 20 months following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas invasion and massacres in Israel, Canadians have seen demonstrations across the country. And while free expression is indeed a charter right, many of these protests have gone far beyond acceptable expression. In many cases, they have clearly crossed legal lines.

These demonstrations have invaded residential neighbourhoods, harassed people doing their Christmas shopping at the mall, set off smoke bombs as people ate at outdoor patios, blocked streets, smashed windows, vandalized properties, and more.

Though billed as “pro-Palestinian,” many of these protests have been distinctly anti-Canadian. We’ve seen the Canadian flag burned and chants of “death to Canada” echo unchallenged, our country called “genocidal” and a “settler-colonial” regime, our national anthem booed, terrorist flags on full display — not to mention the ever-present hate speech, trespassing, intimidation of the public, and more. You would think this would incite action.

But in the face of this lawlessness, authorities — both law enforcement and political — have adopted a largely permissive attitude, occasionally arresting a miscreant on a minor charge, but overwhelmingly ignoring the bigger problem, all under the guise of “de-escalation” and equality, hoping everything just fizzles away.

But it hasn’t gone away. Why would it?

After all, the radical organizers behind these protests can’t believe their success. They have been able to bully police and politicians into giving them free rein to do virtually as they see fit, while the vast majority of us are forced to foot the bill.

And there is quite a bill. In Toronto alone over the first 18 months of the conflict, tens of millions of taxpayer dollars were spent policing, specifically the fallout from the Middle East conflict here in Canada. That is just in the City of Toronto.

When businesspeople or tourists come to Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa or Montreal, they come face to face with violent and disruptive demonstrations, which besmirch the reputation of our cities. People want to do business and visit cities that are clean, safe and welcoming, not home to marauding mobs of lawless protesters — against whom our elected and appointed leaders have all but surrendered.

What will it take to make the Canadian silent majority speak up against this fringe population holding our country hostage to their extremism?

In recent months, surveys have shown an unprecedented rise in feelings of patriotism among Canadians as a result of the tariffs levied on our country by the White House. Nothing brings people together like a common threat.

We deserve to live in a society where the rule of law is applied fairly and without fear or favour — where no group, however vocal or aggressive, is allowed to trample the rights of others or operate above the law. Yet time and again, our leaders have chosen to look the other way, allowing intimidation and lawlessness to fester unchecked. Their inaction is not neutrality; it is complicity.

It’s time for Canadians to wake up, speak out, and demand better — from our police, our mayors, our premiers, and our government. We must restore order, reclaim our streets, and reassert the values that built this country: decency, accountability, and equal justice under the law. The world is watching. Let’s remind it — and ourselves — that Canada will not be bullied, broken, or cowed.

Casey Babb is a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute in Ottawa, a fellow with the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, an associate fellow with the Royal United Services Institute in London, and an adviser with Secure Canada in Toronto.