(OTTAWA) Jewish community leaders have advised Canadian synagogues to increase their level of vigilance in the event of an attack following the hostage-taking at a Texas synagogue over the weekend.
Posted yesterday at 8:39 p.m.
Police departments in Canadian cities, including Toronto, have also increased patrols around synagogues and other Jewish community buildings, though they said there were currently no known threats.
B’nai Brith, which monitors anti-Semitism and advises the Jewish community on security issues, advised Jewish institutions to take extra precautions.
“We take the possibility of copycat acts of violence seriously,” said Michael Mostyn, executive director of B’nai Brith Canada, adding that Jewish Canadians face disproportionately high rates of hate crimes.
The day-long hostage situation at the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas ended Saturday night after US federal agents stormed the temple. The hostage taker, who was later revealed to be a British national, was shot dead.
Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker told CBS News how he and three others were held captive by the gun-wielding hostage taker while they prayed. The rabbi described how he eventually threw a chair at the gunman and managed to escape with two other hostages.
The rabbi said that during the ordeal he recalled active shooter drills that he and members of his congregation had gone through with the Colleyville Police Department and the FBI, indicating that when your life is threatened, you must do everything you can to escape.
Canadian Jewish community officials spoke to Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino over the weekend about the safety of community members.
Mendicino reminded Jewish officials that synagogues, schools and other community institutions would be eligible for funds from the federal government’s Security Infrastructure Program to “protect themselves.”
Funds can be used to fund security upgrades, including doors and windows. It includes up to $10,000 for basic staff training in response to hate crime incidents.
Mr Mendicino said in the conversations that he had expressed “serious concern” and reiterated “our unwavering support”.
“Canada’s Jewish community should always feel safe no matter where they are, but especially in a synagogue,” Mendicino said. At the request of local communities, municipal police have increased surveillance in several cities across Canada. At this difficult time, we must redouble our efforts to fight anti-Semitism and all forms of hatred. »
The minister’s office said Toronto, Ottawa and Edmonton were among the cities where police have increased patrols near Jewish buildings.
Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs vice-president Richard Marceau said he was “reassured by the seriousness with which (Mr. Mendicino) is following things, as well as by his promise to work with us to explore all the measures aimed at strengthening the security of Jewish communities and all communities at risk. »
“We are also in constant contact with Canadian law enforcement at all levels,” he added.
A report by the Toronto Police Hate Crimes Unit found that in 2020, Jews were the most targeted group, ahead of the Black, LGBTQ and Chinese-Canadian communities.
In 2019, Jews were victims of nearly half of police-reported religiously motivated hate crimes, more than any other religious group, according to Statistics Canada.
York Police are investigating anti-Semitic graffiti painted in a park in Markham this month. Graffiti, which has been removed, showed an image of a Nazi salute. The incident is being investigated by a hate crimes officer.
MP for Markham and Minister for International Trade Mary Ng condemned the graffiti on Twitter.
Neighboring Spadina Fort York MP Kevin Vuong also publicly condemned the anti-Semitic graffiti. He said anti-Semitism was a particular problem in the Greater Toronto Area, alongside anti-Asian hatred, both of which have seen a recent upsurge.
“It is important that we are united to express ourselves,” he said.
“These actions are completely unacceptable and cannot be tolerated,” a spokeswoman for the town of Markham said in a statement. As a city, we are determined to stand up and speak out against all forms of hate and hate messages. »