Shopify President Says Startupfest Disruption Was Antisemitism

Shopify president Harley Finkelstein said a Startupfest interruption in Montreal was antisemitism after an anti-Israel protester approached his fireside chat with Georges St-Pierre and accused him over Gaza while the session was about entrepreneurship. Finkelstein wrote that the target was always the Jew and never the topic, and said the room booed the man down before security removed him. Reporting identified the protester as Montreal activist Yves Engler and said the July 8 disruption happened roughly halfway through the talk at the Grand Quay venue; Finkelstein said his parents were present. The episode followed earlier in-person protests tied to Finkelstein's public support for Israel.