Canada: Montreal's Jewish community slams authorities for allowing antisemitic attacks

The Jewish community of Montreal, Canada, expressed concern about an increase in antisemitism in the city, and warned that "The anti-Jewish mob has successfully intimidated the police, the prosecutors, and the mayor," according to an open letter published by Adam Scheier and Reuben Poupko, two well-known Montreal rabbis, in which they urged the authorities to take tougher measures to fight this scourge.

According to the signatories, antisemitic attacks have been increasing significantly since the outbreak of war in 2023 following the Oct. 7 massacre perpetrated by Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups in southern Israel.

Attacks against Montreal's Jewish community since October 2023 include school shootings and attacks against synagogues and community centers with firebombs.

In early October this year, on the eve of the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), five people carrying firebombs were arrested by police officers near a synagogue and Jewish institutions. Canadian newspaper The Gazette reported that the suspects were charged and released pending their court date, a decision that generated widespread outrage in the Jewish community.

'It is open season on the Jewish community of Montreal'

In their open letter, Scheier and Poupko took aim at the authorities for their lack of response. "Their passivity in the face of violence and threats has sent a clear message to the mob: Carry on, as long as you harass, intimidate and threaten Jews, there will be no repercussions or criminal charges. It is open season on the Jewish community of Montreal," the rabbis expressed.

The Gazette indicated that Rabbi Poupko called for prosecutors to take these types of hate crimes "more seriously." He added, "It seems that people can get away with the calls for violence and for aggressive demonstrations without consequence."

The mayor's response

In response to the Jewish community's claims, Valérie Plante, mayor of Montreal, said she has reinforced police presence at more than 100 pro-Hamas demonstrations held since October 2023.

"Everybody needs to feel safe and the Jewish community needs to feel safe," Plante said. She added: "We will not tolerate any discrimination or any antisemitic or Islamaphobic acts whatsoever."

Rise of antisemitism in Canada

Last October, Israel's Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism released a report revealing that Canada has experienced a sharp 670% increase in reported antisemitic incidents since the Oct. 7 massacre, compared to the same period the previous year.

The report indicated that members of the Jewish community are the target of 70% of hate crimes, though they are only 1.4% of the Canadian population.