My latest: MLSE drops the ball

Was it the tiny Star of David?

Does Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment now plan to bar anyone from Scotiabank Arena if they are wearing Stars of David around their necks?

If it wasn’t that, was it the words: “Free Our Hostages”? Was it that?

Because, as a general principle, freeing hostages – any hostages, anywhere – isn’t really controversial, is it? The dictionaries define “hostages” as human beings who are illegally seized, and held for ransom. Everyone is against that, aren’t they? It’s illegal, after all.

Looking at the hoodie worn by Toronto defence lawyer Gary Grill at a Raptors game this week, those are the only things one can imagine MLSE’s head of security, Chad Bowman, could object to. The Star of David, or the three words about hostages. White letters, not big. There was nothing else on the hoodie.

Who can be against freeing hostages, besides Hamas? Who can be against the public display of a Star of David?

Oh, wait. We actually know who is against the Star of David being shown in public, don’t we?

In Canada, they’re the same people who have been shooting up Jewish schools and homes, and firebombing synagogues and Jewish delis, and attacking anything that is even remotely associated with someone who is Jewish.

How did it all happen? Lawyer Gary Grill was wearing the hoodie at the game, alongside his best friend, lawyer Leora Shemesh. Says Shemesh: “We got up to get a drink and a security guard approached us and said someone would come to talk to us. She claimed that our sweatshirt was too political. We were also wearing dog tags and I was wearing a Jewish star with an Israeli map.”

She continues: “A manager came and said take it off or cover up or we would be forced to leave.”

Says Gary: “When they asked me to take it off or leave, the assistant head of event security said MLSE doesn’t want to take sides. Really? Remember Kiana Lede, the ‘river to the sea’ anthem singer [at the NHL All-Star game, played at Scotiabank Arena]? It seems what MLSE doesn’t want to do is side against Hamas who believe taking, keeping, and raping hostages is just fine…This isn’t political speech because there aren’t two competing ethical sides to this issue.”

Exactly.

Gary and Leora tried to figure out the MLSE’s policies. The rules didn’t seem to apply to Black Lives Matter, or LGBTQ, or similar causes – the arena, and the Raptors and the NBA, had actively promoted those. The NBA has held LGBTQ nights. And, the Raptors even have a Black Lives Matter clothing line. So what gives?

Chad Bowman isn’t talking, per corporate policy. We emailed him, and he hasn’t responded. So we looked at the “policies” MLSE has promulgated about Scotiabank Arena.

“Conduct” that is “prohibited” includes “displaying signs, symbols, images, flags, clothing, banners that may be considered vulgar, discriminatory, disrespectful.”

That doesn’t seem to fit. A Star of David isn’t vulgar, discriminatory or disrespectful. It’s actually about the loving relationship between humankind and God. And freeing hostages, as noted, is pretty respectful, isn’t it?

There’s only one other “policy” that may apply. It says “displaying signs, symbols or images for commercial or political purposes” is verboten – that’s German for “forbidden,” by the by, which seems apt in relating this story – at Scotiabank Arena.

Again: is it “political” to wear a Star of David? Is it political to say illegally-held hostages should, as a general principle, be released?

Because MLSE isn’t really saying much that is useful about their decision to remove Jews with a threat of force, what are we left with? Are they afraid of the anti-Israel types showing up to a game, and calling for a violent revolution – an intifada – at halftime?

Well, MLSE isn’t saying that. Before Christmas, however, a couple pro-Palestinian types were told by MLSE to remove their kafiyyehs – those traditional black and white scarves you see everywhere – before they would be let in to a Mariah Carey concert.

They shouldn’t have been. Kafiyyehs are ubiquitous in Toronto, and it’s not an incitement to murder anyone. Holding up a sign saying: “Kill The Jews”? A banner reading: “Kill Gazans”? Of course.

But a tiny Star of David, and a plea to release hostages? No.

Situations like these require judgment. MLSE and their security folks didn’t use their judgment. They panicked, it seems. They opted for the easiest course of action – which was to kick out the Jews. To deny them a small indication of their faith. To erase them.

Which, you know, has familiar ring to it.