It remains unclear what venue was involved in hosting the group before the eventual cancellation. Pictured: City of Hamilton. Photo Credit: City of Hamilton/X.
Radical Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir Canada, the Canadian branch of Hizb ut-Tahrir has officially cancelled their annual conference, which was set to be held in Hamilton, after public outcry and a threat from the federal government that the organization could soon receive terrorist designation.
The group’s “Khilafah Conference 2025: Eliminating the Obstacles that are Delaying its Return” was set to be held to support the establishment of a Muslim caliphate where everyone lives under Islamic Sharia Law.
The conference was originally set to be held in Mississauga this past Saturday, Jan. 18, but, due to pushback, the group announced via Instagram that they were moving their event to Hamilton to be held on the same day.
Internationally, Hizb ut-Tahrir was designated a terrorist organization in the United Kingdom in 2024 and is also banned in other countries.
Hizb ut-Tahrir Canada announced on Jan. 3, 2025 that they would be holding their conference in Mississauga.
After pushback, Instagram posts went up on Jan. 5, 2025 stating that the conference would be held in Hamilton and the event link was changed to show the same.
Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath released a statement on Jan. 6 in which she said, “It has come to my attention that there is a planned event in Hamilton, which has raised significant concerns for me and our community.”
“Since learning of this event, I have been in direct communication with Hamilton Police Service, who are closely monitoring the situation to ensure public safety.”
Then, on Jan. 13, just five days before the conference was set to take place, Canada’s Minister of Public Safety, David McGuinty, released a statement condemning the organization’s activities and their conference and calling on the event to be cancelled.
McGuinty also clarified that “security and intelligence agencies are currently assessing Hizb ut-Tahrir for listing as a terrorist entity under Canadian law.”
The minister’s statement adds, “Hizb ut-Tahrir has a documented history of glorifying violence and promoting antisemitism and extremist ideology.”
“Its celebration of attacks on innocent civilians, including October 7th, and its support for banned terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah are entirely contrary to Canadian values of peace, inclusion, and respect for diversity.”
“We unequivocally condemn their activities and the holding of such a conference – and call on the organizers to cancel their booking.”
Following McGuinty’s statement, the group announced that the event was cancelled.
Noah Shack, the interim president for the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, warned of the dangers of such a conference.
“As we saw in New Orleans and in multiple terror plots disrupted in Canada in recent months, radicalization is a serious threat to public safety,” said Shack in a statement.
A New Year’s Day terrorist attack in New Orleans, carried out by U.S. citizen Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, resulted in the death of 14 people after Jabbar drove a pick-up truck into a crowd.
The attacker is said to have been inspired by ISIS.
In Canada, a Pakistani national named Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, was arrested in Quebec in September 2024 for plotting a terrorist attack in New York City.
A father and son named Ahmed Fouad Mostafa Eldidi, 62, and Mostafa Eldidi, 26, both Egyptian nationals who had been granted Canadian citizenship, were arrested in August 2024 for plotting a terror attack in Toronto.
A video also resurfaced that the father had taken part in terrorist activities on behalf of the Islamic State in 2015.
It remains unclear why Hizb ut-Tahrir chose Hamilton as the location for the conference after their plans in Mississauga were changed.
It also remains unclear what venue was involved in hosting the group before the eventual cancellation.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
