Canadian funded literary journal publishes poem praising October 7 Hamas attacks

A Canadian literary journal funded by taxpayers published a poem that expressed praise for the October 7 attacks on Israel. The Daily Mail reported that the piece, titled FLOOD, was written by Toronto poet Bahar Orang and appeared in a new edition of the online journal The Ex-Puritan. [1]

In the published text, Orang wrote words praising Hamas paragliders for their triumphant descension into southern Israel. The Daily Mail noted that Hamas fighters used paragliders during the October 7 attack in 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people. Orang also wrote praise for October and commended the courage of the fighters. [1]

The publication has drawn criticism in Canada. According to The Globe and Mail, the decision by the literary journal to run the poem has raised strong objections regarding public funding for content praising the violent attacks. [8]

The incident comes alongside broader events marking the anniversary of the attacks. According to Fox News, anti-Israel groups staged rallies across the United States on the October 7 anniversary, where demonstrators celebrated the Hamas attack and chanted slogans. [7]