Wave of Antisemitic Incidents Hit Toronto Area

A school bus in a Jewish neighborhood was burnt beyond repair and ‘Free Palestine’ was sprayed at multiple business sites.

By United with Israel and JNS

The Toronto area was hit with a series of antisemitic incidents, including the burning of a school bus and anti-Israel graffiti sprayed on Jewish sites, local politicians and said on Monday.

York Center Parliament Member Yaara Saks wrote on X (Twitter) that local police were investigating the burning of a school bus in a Jewish neighborhood, calling the incident “deeply worrying.”

“Rising antisemitism must be met with consequences and those responsible held accountable,” she added, posting a picture of the severely burned vehicle.

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The burning of a school bus in a Jewish neighbourhood in #YorkCentre is deeply worrying. Have spoken to local police & they are investigating.
Rising antisemitism must be met w/consequences & those responsible held accountable.
If you have information pls contact @TorontoPolice pic.twitter.com/ncHhtLaoZ7

— Ya’ara Saks יערה זקס (@YaaraSaks) July 30, 2024

Thornhill MP Melissa Lantsman posted pictures of “Free Palestine” graffiti painted on local business sites, writing on X, “Defacing a kosher grocery store in Thornhill and the brazen vandalism on businesses in our community today are clear forms of intimidation and nothing more.”

“A government that accepts this as the new normal deserves to be defeated so that everyone can feel safe in this country,” she also wrote.

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Defacing a kosher grocery store in Thornhill and the brazen vandalism on businesses in our community today are clear forms of intimidation and nothing more.

We will not be intimidated by the lawless mob. This is an assault on Canadian values — and these thugs should be… pic.twitter.com/JMsjGuMZXE

— Melissa Lantsman (@MelissaLantsman) July 30, 2024

Last week, Canadian police released information about last year’s hate crimes, revealing a surge against Jews, now accounting for the most frequent of any group.

Statistics Canada released data on July 25 from 2023 showing that antisemitic incidents account for 19% of hate crimes in Canada, now higher than those against LGBTQ persons (18%) and black people (16%). This is the first time that Jews have topped the list.

“Jewish Canadians are now the most frequently targeted group for hate crimes—notoriety to which we never aspired but knew was only a matter of time until we regained,” said Shimon Koffler Fogel, president and CEO at the Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs.

Police reported 900 hate crimes against Jews last year, equating to a 71% increase from 2022 and a 172% increase since 2020. Jews also accounted for 70% of religiously motivated hate crimes, with four times as many compared to those targeting Muslims.

Fogel said that “despite constituting less than 1 percent of the Canadian population, Jewish Canadians were the targets of one-fifth of all hate crimes, revealing exactly how problematic Jew hate has become in Canada and exposing the disproportionate impact the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel is having on our community.”