The Toronto police chief apologized after officers were filmed bringing coffee and donuts to protesters at a pro-Palestinian demonstration over the weekend.

The pro-Palestinian protesters had gathered at the Avenue Road Bridge over Highway 401 for several weeks and sometimes clashed with pro-Israel protesters.

A video shared with CP24 by a lawyer who was present at the protest on January 6th shows officers bringing Tim Hortons coffee and donuts to protesters on the bridge.

The video shows the protester receiving the coffee saying that the police prevented more protesters from joining the demonstration on the bridge, but agreed to carry refreshments that were purchased for them.

He added, "The coffee was bought for us, but the police did not allow them to enter, so now the police officers have become our little messengers."

Images of officers distributing coffee to protesters sparked anger online, with one person on X saying, "Here’s an idea. How about not delivering coffee to protesters who are blocking traffic and closing the bridge?"

The bridge is located in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood, and local residents said they feel the protests are partly intended to intimidate them.

In a statement released later, President Myron Demkiw did not specifically mention the coffee, but said "questions have been raised" about a particular interaction between officers and a protester on the bridge.

The president said: "Regardless of the intent, the effect was causing concern and confusion, and for that, I am sorry." "I immediately held command meetings and ordered a comprehensive review of the day's events and to ensure the most effective operational planning and responses were in place."

The president added: "Let me be clear, our commitment to keeping the Jewish community safe in our city is unwavering, we are doing everything we can at protest sites targeted to support the law and its enforcement."

Toronto police have previously said that while they will protect people's right to protest in public places, they will not allow protests around critical infrastructure such as highways. It is not entirely clear why protests were allowed to continue on the bridges.

In a separate incident on Sunday, a skating party held by Mayor Olivia Chow for New Year's at Nathan Phillips Square was stormed by another group of pro-Palestinian protesters who climbed onto the ice and yelled at her as she made her remarks.

She responded to some protesters who called for a ceasefire, referring them to a statement she made in November, which called for "the immediate and unconditional return of all hostages and a ceasefire."

In the same statement, she said she was hearing daily reports of people feeling scared and targeted amid ongoing protests over the war between Israel and Hamas, and urged Toronto residents to "be the best they can be."

But she found it difficult to speak as she was continuously shouted down on Sunday, recalling how Nathan Phillips Square was one of the first places she felt she belonged as a young immigrant from Hong Kong.

The skating party included free hot chocolate and cookies, local sports, and a chance to skate with players from Toronto's new professional women’s hockey league team.

Chow later tweeted about the skating party, but did not mention the protesters.