The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) says it is aware of the existence of social media posts threatening Canada’s Jewish community.
This statement from the federal police comes as several Canadian police forces, notably in Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa, have claimed to have strengthened their patrols in response to the war between Israel and Hamas.
In Montreal, for example, vigilance was clearly visible Friday morning around the Jewish General Hospital, in the Côte-des-Neiges district.
The CIUSSS du Centre-Ouest de l’île de Montréal, which is responsible for this hospital, closed some of the services this Friday, as a precautionary measure.
The director of the Montreal City Police Service (SPVM), Fady Dagher, announced in a press release that its personnel were present throughout the territory and that its units were patrolling in sensitive areas. Furthermore, police personnel are increasing their vigilance, he added, with regard to potential incidents or hate crimes linked to this conflict, an essential measure to help detect trends, centralize information and facilitate the surveys.
Director Dagher also affirmed that his meetings with the leaders of the Jewish and Muslim communities of Montreal reassured him about their intention to express their opinions in a free and respectful manner.
On Thursday, Quebec Minister of Public Security, François Bonnardel, said that police officers were on the ground to ensure that possible demonstrations took place in compliance with the laws.
An RCMP spokesperson declined to answer further questions about the social media threats, including whether or not police were investigating. But the statement said all threats are taken seriously and investigated as warranted.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) released a statement Friday morning saying they are aware of global threats of online violence regarding the situation in the Middle East.
Hamas’ deadly rampage in southern Israel last Saturday and subsequent Israeli bombardments in the Gaza Strip have killed more than 2,800 people so far on both sides.