A synagogue in North York was targeted by vandals once again, marking the tenth incident of vandalism at the Kehillat Shaarei Torah temple, as reported by Toronto police.
The vandalism was reported around 6:40 a.m., with authorities responding to a call about smashed windows at the temple near Bayview Avenue and York Mills Road. Four windows were found damaged in the incident.
The suspect, described as a male in his late teens to early 20s, is still at large. He was last seen wearing a face mask and a dark blue jacket or hoodie, and used a hammer to carry out the vandalism.
The executive director of the temple, Michael Gilmore, expressed his belief that these repeated acts of vandalism are fueled by antisemitism. He pointed out that such acts are encouraged by individuals in positions of power, like the mayor, referencing recent controversial statements made by Mayor Olivia Chow.
Mayor Chow faced backlash from Jewish groups for referring to the situation in Gaza as a “genocide.” Gilmore highlighted the dangers of such rhetoric, stating that it perpetuates antisemitic beliefs and contributes to incidents like the vandalism at the temple.
Praising the efforts of the Toronto police in providing additional security for the temple, Gilmore emphasized the need for politicians to be mindful of their words and the impact they have on communities.
Ward 19 Councillor Brad Bradford echoed these sentiments, warning that divisive language can lead to divisive actions in a social media post.
An ongoing investigation is being conducted by authorities, although it has not been confirmed whether the incident is being treated as a hate crime.