Mayor John Tory boycotts Chinese flag-raising ceremony amid rising tensions between Canada, China

Mayor John Tory boycotted a Chinese flag-raising ceremony in front of city hall Monday, due to ongoing “issues between Canada and China.”

The city accommodates a space for all countries recognized by the Canadian government to raise their flag on their national day.

A group of protesters gathered Monday and over the weekend at Nathan Philips Square in light of the Chinese national holiday.

Some protesters held signs with pictures of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor — two Canadians detained in China.

Tensions began to rise between the two countries after Canada arrested Meng Wenzhou, a Chinese telecom executive, in December after an extradition request by the U.S.

In a statement, Mayor Tory said that he’s concerned about the issues between Canada and China and hopes a resolution will be found “in the near future.”