The event scheduled for Saturday in Toronto, which Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni were supposed to attend, was canceled "for security reasons," according to Trudeau's office, while a pro-Palestinian protest was held nearby.

According to reports from Canadian media, two groups of protesters gathered, one against Trudeau's government and the other consisting of pro-Palestinian demonstrators, outside the exhibition. There were also many police officers present.

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in front of the Art Gallery of Ontario in downtown, where the event was planned.

An official at the Prime Minister's office told Agence France-Presse in the evening that "the event was canceled for security reasons," without going into details.

Earlier that day, the two leaders held a bilateral meeting during which they discussed several issues, including "the very difficult crisis in the Middle East," according to Meloni.

According to the public channel "CBC," some guests were prevented from entering the event by protesters opposed to Canada's handling of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Between 200 and 300 protesters participated in the protest, and videos and photos on social media showed a large security presence near the museum.

Meloni is visiting Canada as part of Italy's role as chair of the G7 in 2024, following a visit to Washington on Friday.

A statement earlier today said that Canada and Italy agreed to strengthen cooperation in various fields, including energy security and the transition to a sustainable energy future, over the next three to five years.