Police looking to ID suspect after Toronto synagogue defaced with anti-Semitic graffiti
At least three spots around the GTA — including a school, a synagogue and a bus shelter— have been targeted with antisemitic messages this week alone and investigators are looking for at least one suspect.
Police were called to Beth Sholom synagogue on Eglinton Avenue West, near Winnett Avenue, at around 9:30 a.m. on Aug. 18 after graffiti was discovered.
According to police, a man went to the synagogue and spray-painted antisemitic graffiti on a wall there.
Police released a surveillance camera image of the suspect on Thursday and said they are asking for help from the public to try and identify him.
The suspect is described as standing five-foot-eight with a skinny build. He was wearing blue jeans, a dark T-shirt, a baseball cap, black running shoes, and a black backpack.
Investigators are treating the incident as a hate-motivated offence and are asking anyone with information to call police or Crime Stoppers.
The synagogue graffiti is the latest in a series of recent incidents targeting Jews in the GTA this week alone.
In a statement released on social media, Mayor John Tory said he has been in touch with the synagogue and added that such incidents are “unacceptable.”
“I've reached out to Beth Sholom Synagogue in the wake of yesterday’s vandalism to show my support for the synagogue and our Jewish community and to register with them and with the city as a whole how completely unacceptable antisemitism is," Tory said.
Coun. Josh Matlow, who represents the ward, also spoke out in a tweet.
Premier Doug Ford also weighed in, saying he stands “shoulder to shoulder” with the Jewish community.
“I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Antisemitism has no place in Ontario,” Ford said in a tweet.
On Thursday evening, Matlow posted to Twitter about reports of several homes being vandalized with antisemitic graffiti in the Toronto-St. Paul’s community.
“I’ve been in touch with the Toronto Police and they are taking this very seriously - they have our support & gratitude,” he tweeted.
Toronto police told CP24 that they received one report of a hate crime in that area.
But they cannot confirm the vandalism and are not providing further details about the incident.
At least two other incidents involving antisemitic graffiti were reported Wednesday, though investigators have not linked all the occurrences.
In one incident, a bus shelter advertisement near Bathurst and College streets that read “#Nohate against Jews,” was defaced with the words “Free Palestine” and “Zionists aren’t Jews.”
In a statement, La’ad Canada — one of the organizers of the ad — said it was part of a campaign launched in June specifically to fight antisemitism.
“It is very telling that an advertisement specifically calling for an end to hatred against Jews was vandalized with antisemitic graffiti,” La’ad Canada Director of Advocacy Sam Eskenasi said in a statement. “This campaign is about combatting antisemitism against Jews in the City of Toronto, where they have been the number one victims of hate crimes for 13 years, according to Toronto Police. This is local, it isn’t about Israel and it is shameful for the advertisements to be defaced in this manner.”
Also Wednesday, antisemitic graffiti was found on the outside walls of a public elementary school near Steeles Avenue West and Dufferin Street in Thornhill, where there is a large Jewish community.
"I strongly condemn all acts of antisemitism. It is unacceptable and has no place in our city, "Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua said in a statement posted to social media.
Bevilacqua called the vandalism "disturbing and reprehensible" and said "our community will not tolerate antisemitism or hate of any kind."
On Monday Toronto police announced a mischief charge in connection with antisemitic graffiti found at Downsview Park on Aug. 5.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Five years after toddler's brutal death, Northern Ont. family struggles to find peace, justice
A North Bay family is struggling to find peace and justice as the five-year anniversary of the brutal death of toddler Oliver McCarthy approaches.
Alberta RCMP officer charged with 2 counts of sexual assault
Const. Bridget Morla, a Leduc RCMP officer, has been charged with two counts of sexual assault in connection with an incident that happened two years ago.
Ontario dad removes hockey rink at heart of neighbour dispute
A Markham dad who drew the ire of neighbours and the city after installing a hockey rink in his backyard says the rink has now been taken down.
Kingston, Ont. doctor in 'disbelief' after being ordered to repay $600K for pandemic vaccination payments
An Ontario health tribunal has ordered a Kingston, Ont. doctor to repay over $600,000 to the Ontario government for improperly billing thousands of COVID-19 vaccinations at the height of the pandemic.
Three climbers from the U.S. and Canada are missing on New Zealand's highest peak
Three mountain climbers from the U.S. and Canada are missing after they failed to return from a planned ascent of New Zealand's highest peak, Aoraki, authorities said Tuesday.
Motivated by obsession: Canadians accused in botched California murder plot in police custody
Two Canadians are in police custody in Monterey County, California, after a triple stabbing police say was motivated by a B.C. man's obsession with a woman he played video games with online.
Trump demands immediate release of Oct. 7 hostages, says otherwise there will be 'HELL TO PAY'
President-elect Donald Trump is demanding the immediate release of the Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza, saying that if they are not freed before he is sworn into office there will be “HELL TO PAY."
Belly fat linked to signs of Alzheimer’s 20 years before symptoms begin, study says
As the size of a person’s belly grows, the memory centre of their brain shrinks and beta amyloid and tau may appear — all of this occurring as early as a person’s 40s and 50s, well before any cognitive decline is apparent, according to new research.
More RCMP and CBSA ‘human resources’ destined for border, Public Safety Minister LeBlanc says
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc says the federal government will 'absolutely' be adding more Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) and RCMP ‘human resources’ at the border.