Candlelight vigil held in Toronto for Iranian general killed by U.S. airstrike

Toronto police say a candlelight vigil for an Iranian general killed by a U.S. airstrike — and a protest by those who opposed him — ended peacefully on Saturday night.

Const. Caroline de Kloet says two groups showed up to the event outside a Toronto courthouse a day after Gen. Qassem Soleimani’s death was announced.

Dozens of mourners and protesters attended the Toronto rally, which de Kloet says was not violent.

She says police were there as a precaution to keep the peace.

Mourners lit candles at a makeshift memorial by the courthouse, setting a starkly different tone from a celebration of Soleimani’s death held in Toronto on Friday.

Then, attendees danced and cheered, saying they hoped Soleimani’s death would mark a rebirth for Iran.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2019.