Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made an official statement regarding a suspected terror event at a Jewish school in Toronto.
‘I’m very disturbed to hear that last night, as families marked Yom Kippur, there were shots fired at a Jewish school in Toronto.
‘As we wait for more details, my heart goes out to the students, staff, and parents who must be terrified and hurting today.
‘Antisemitism is a disgusting and dangerous form of hate – and we won’t let it stand.’
The school was closed at the time for the holiday period.
It is the second time this Jewish girls’ school has been the target of violence and police are investigating if the two incidents are linked.
Attacks against the Jewish community have spiked in Canada, reaching a 69 per cent increase this year alone.
Why?
That is the question people are asking.
According to the Toronto Police, this recent attack happened at 4:05 am yesterday with the suspect(s) discharging their weapons from a motor vehicle at the Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School.
No arrests have been made and police authorities overseeing the case have not released any information about potential suspects, although they are seeking help from the public.
Currently, the investigation is under the watch of the Gun and Gang Task Force but it has been announced that they will also receive support from the Hate Crime Unit.
Toronto’s Mayor, Olivia Chow, fronted the press on Saturday.
‘This is the second time the school has been targeted by this disgusting hate. I reiterate that the students of Bais Chaya Mushka have the right to learn, and the teachers have a right to teach, in safety and without fear of antisemitic attacks. Jewish families and the Jewish community should not be made to fear for their safety.’
Conservative Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre, who recently condemned Trudeau’s approach to protecting the Jewish community, said:
‘More bullets fired at a Jewish school overnight in Toronto. This is yet another shameful and terrifyingly common antisemitic attack in Canada in 2024. It is part of a 251 per cent increase in hate crimes during the 9 years of NDP-Liberals.
‘I will ban the terrorists, secure our borders, lock up criminals, and bring home safety for all.’
Not everyone is happy with the language of the Toronto Police tweet that went up regarding the incident.
We are investigating the troubling firearm discharges at the Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School early this morning. Anyone who was in the area or who may have relevant video or dash-cam footage, please come forward. pic.twitter.com/rUvKW6Necf
— Toronto Police (@TorontoPolice) October 12, 2024
Calling the suspected terror attack a ‘troubling firearm discharge’, Toronto Police said that they ‘understand the fear and pain this causes’.
‘We stand with you,’ the tweet promised, but as many pointed out, they would prefer Canadian authorities to get tough on jailing or deporting religious extremists rather than lighting candles or putting up messages on social media.
The Jewish community in Canada is dealing with very real and frequent violence in what was, until recently, a safe country for all peoples of all faiths. While the government will not admit that mass migration is responsible for the rise in antisemitism, it is becoming difficult to argue that Canadians simply woke up one day, after decades of peace, and decided to engage in attacks on the Jewish community. It is more likely, many believe, that Middle Eastern grievances have been brought to Canada.
One person replied to the Toronto Police Department tweet saying, ‘The goal is to make life impossible for Jews.’ Another added, ‘“TROUBLING?!?!” The Toronto Police are “troubled”.’
A commentator who describes themselves as a grandchild of Holocaust survivors added, ‘Do you understand the fear and pain in our community?’
‘It is domestic terrorism,’ said another, ‘why will nobody paid to protect citizens say it?’
Contrary to some claims, the rise in hate crimes directed toward the Jewish community in Canada did not begin on October 7, 2023.
Pro-Palestinian groups started perpetrating verbal attacks on the Jewish community in 2009 screaming things like, ‘Racists off campus!’ and ‘Zionism equals racism!’ at a university campus. Those present allege that this quickly turned to shouts of, ‘F-ing Jew!’ ‘Die Jew!’ and ‘Go back to Israel!’ during which students bashed their fits on windows, seeking entrance, leading to police escorting protesters off the campus.
In 2016, Toronto Police put forward their hate crime report which revealed that Jews represented 3.8 per cent of the identifiable religious community and yet, as a percentage of reported victims of hate crimes, they were the target of 23 per cent of incidents during the 2015 year.
Since October 2023, Canada has seen gunfire directed at Jewish establishments, harassment toward individuals, the desecration of holy books, physical assaults, death threats between school children, arson attacks, and over 100 bomb threats.
