Schools and universities in Montreal have increased the security measures imposed within their walls in response to the rise in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia observed on the sidelines of the attacks perpetrated last October 7 in Israel, which has since bombed the strip of Gaza. These establishments are also particularly on the lookout as the sad first anniversary of this conflict approaches.
Last year, nationwide, 900 religiously motivated hate crimes targeting Jewish people were reported to police, an increase of 71% compared to the previous year, according to a Statistics count. Canada. This same source reports 211 hate crimes committed against Muslim people in 2023, an increase of 94% in one year.
The Quebec metropolis is obviously not spared from the repercussions of this escalation of intolerance. The City of Montreal Police Department has identified 213 hate crimes and incidents targeting Jewish people between October 7, 2023 and October 2, as well as 75 targeting members of Arab-Muslim communities.
In this context, schools — some of which have been the target of shootings and bomb threats in the past year — have taken sometimes radical measures to ensure the safety of their students.
This is the case of the nine Montreal establishments that are members of the Association of Jewish Schools (AEJ), whose spending on security guard services has increased “astronomically” in the last year, confides its general director, Sidney Benudiz. . “The main concern at the association was to ensure the safety of children and parents. And so, our facility managers had to resort to hiring security guards and other measures that resulted in costs that were not budgeted for — and which, unfortunately, had to be undertaken because There was no question of risking the well-being of our students for a single moment,” he continues. The latter notably reports broken windows and “hateful graffiti” painted on schools, acts which have required “increased vigilance” in the last year.
Tuition fees for students in Jewish schools therefore had to be revised upwards to cover these unforeseen expenses incurred in response to an unprecedented context, notes the general director of the AEJ.
In the past, it has already happened that tension has increased following events occurring abroad, underlines Mr. Benudiz, referring in particular to the attacks of September 11, 2001. It usually fades after a certain time, but not since the violent attacks carried out by Hamas on Israeli soil a year ago and the deadly bombings carried out since then by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip. The state of concern is now “permanent”, notes the CEO of the AEJ. “It’s unheard of in Montreal to have security guards at school all year round. »
“It has become a daily experience,” he laments, especially since schools cannot afford to “let their guard down” as October 7 approaches since demonstrations denouncing the situation in Gaza are planned. .
“The Montreal Jewish community has spent millions of dollars in recent months to ensure its security,” notably by equipping schools and synagogues with surveillance cameras and security agents, also confirms Julien Corona, associate director of communications. of the Advisory Center for Jewish and Israeli Relations.
Anti-Semitic acts are also increasing on social networks, recalls the spokesperson, who invites the population to denounce the situations they witness to the police forces. “This has to stop. »
Universities on the lookout
In Montreal, universities are also on their guard. McGill University, where numerous demonstrators occupied the grounds for two and a half months last summer, decided to limit access to its campus, from Saturday to Monday, to its students and employees only. Classes will also be given online on these days — with the exception of those requiring on-site attendance and scheduled midterm exams.
“It is important to note that to our knowledge, the physical safety of members of our community is in no way threatened. If we are restricting access to campus, it is simply to ensure the continuation of our research and teaching activities in this context prone to disruption,” the University wrote earlier this week in a media advisory.
Concordia University, which anticipates demonstrations and “walkouts” on its downtown campus and surrounding areas, has for its part increased the presence of security agents in order to better control access to its buildings. However, all of its buildings will remain open on Monday.
“We prohibit the holding of activities which, in our opinion, are likely to pose security problems or create a climate of intimidation,” adds the educational establishment, where a scuffle between students caused three injured last November. Access to the scene of this altercation will also be prohibited next week as a preventive measure.
In order to prevent anti-Semitic and Islamophobic acts on its campus, Concordia University has also focused in recent months on making its students more aware of its regulations on “civil discourse and peaceful demonstrations,” indicates we in an email to Duty. “We also promoted complaints mechanisms and the importance of using them to students and staff at the university,” it reads.