Defiance, resilience, and visible police presence at menorah lighting outside London City Hall

The menorah lit outside London City Hall on Dec. 15, 2025 (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)

The second night of Hanukkah celebrations in London included the lighting of a large menorah in front of City Hall.

Over 100 people attended the ceremony while London Police guarded the perimeter of the event.

The crowd defiantly shouted “no!” when asked if they were going to cancel the event in the wake of the antisemitic terror attack at a Hanukkah celebration in Australia.

They followed with a cheer of “Yes!” when asked if they’re standing strong.

The event was attended by Mayor Josh Morgan, several members of city council, and MP Peter Fragiskatos.

“Practice their faith, practice their beliefs, in safety and security—full stop,” Morgan said during his remarks. “And that should be anywhere in the world, but certainly here in our city.”

In addition to police vehicles parked in front of city hall, a number of police officers and security guards were positioned around the perimeter of the event.

Leadership from the London Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, and the RCMP attended the event.

A choir of school children began singing a Hanukkah song while Dean Lavi, executive director of Jewish London lit the first of two candles on the large menorah.

“We show both the Jewish community and the London community that we are standing together and we are united,” said Lavi after the event. “The most effective way to get rid of darkness is to create a little bit of light.”