On September 6, a paper mache head of Scotiabank’s portfolio manager David Fingold was paraded in front of the Scotiabank theatre during TIFF rush hour.
The grand mache-Fingold had marionette hands carrying a large cheque with red paint dripping from the top, signed for $300,000,000 USD addressed to Israel. The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) demonstration, organized by the No Arms in the Arts coalition, drew crowds of festival-goers to stop and take photographs, as well as a hefty police presence.
“We are protesting Scotiabank’s stake in Elbit Systems,” said demonstrator Mitra Fakrashrafi, in an interview with Antler River Media. “We’re artists, we’re filmmakers, we’re people that are invested in ending the genocide in Palestine. So we want Scotiabank to cut their stake in Elbit systems.”
Elbit Systems is the largest Israeli military technology manufacturer, and in 2023 Scotiabank subsidiary 1832 Asset Management held a stake in the company more than 60 times of any other Canadian bank. As sole portfolio manager for 1832, Fingold has direct control over the bank’s investment decisions.
“A big part of our campaign is putting pressure on Scotiabank so that anywhere someone goes, when they see the word ‘Scotiabank’, they are reminded of this genocide that Scotiabank is funding,” Fakrashrafi said. TIFF festival-goers had generally favourable responses, with cheers of support heard as the mache-figure waved down Toronto’s Richmond Street. “We know that the Canadian public is against the genocide happening in Palestine. They don’t want Canadian weapons parts being funneled to Israel, and they don’t want Canadian banks to have a hand in this either.” (more...)
Artists Against Artwashing calls out Scotiabank investments in Israeli military tech at TIFF
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