There are growing concerns about an increase in Islamophobia and antisemitism in Canada amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Muslim and Jewish community groups told Global News that incidents of verbal abuse, vandalism, hate and intimidation targeting Canadians across the country have spiked since Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel and Tel Aviv has responded with retaliatory strikes on Gaza.
Many Canadians who have families and friends in the region are mourning the loss of loved ones, with deaths tolls in Israel at 1,400 and in Gaza at roughly 3,000, according to local authorities. At the same time, others say they are reeling from hateful rhetoric experienced here as the conflict rages on.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims said the last few days “have been the worst” in decades in terms of Islamophobia reported to the organization.
“We’ve seen an increase of 1,000 per cent of actual incidents of Islamophobia that have come in from across the country,” said Uthman Quick, director of communications at the National Council of Canadian Muslims.
From verbal abuse, racist language hurled at children and hijab-wearing women to intimidation from employers and fellow employees in the workplace, the Muslim community is suffering from a “huge tidal wave of Islamophobia,” he added.
In one such instance in London, Ont., Quick said an apartment building, where many Muslim families live, was vandalized, with the words “Kill All Muslims” written on multiple floors.
London Police Service confirmed to Global News in an emailed statement that they were “actively investigating” this incident and the graffiti has since been removed.
The Jewish community in Canada is also concerned about its safety.
Michael Mostyn, chief executive officer of B’nai Brith Canada, a Jewish advocacy and rights organization, said they have observed a “great threat assessment increase” against the community in recent days, with incitement at university campuses, on the streets and genocidal slogans targeting Jews at rallies.
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“We have seen a lot of increase of hate targeting our community, places of worship, synagogues, schools,” he told Global News in an interview.
“This needs to stop. This cannot be allowed to continue in this country because that’s how people eventually get hurt.”
Last week on Oct. 12, Toronto police arrested and charged two teenaged boys and a 20-year-old man after they made threats at a Jewish high school. Toronto Police Service said they were investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.
“What we see, unfortunately, is that there are certain Canadians who are supporting the actions and justifying the actions of Hamas terrorism and taking out their own frustrations and hate on individual Jews,” said Mostyn.
Even before the conflict started, there were growing concerns about antisemitism and Islamophobia in Canada.
In its annual report published in April, B’nai Brith Canada said there were 2,769 antisemitic incidents in 2022, a slight decrease from the all-time peak in 2021.
Mostyn said much of the violence in 2021 was linked to another Israel-Hamas conflict that year, but it remains to be seen how big of an impact current violence will have, he added.
Data from Statistics Canada released in July 2023, showed that 502 hate crimes targeting Jews were reported to police last year, an increase of two per cent from 2021. StatCan also reported 108 incidents of hate crime against Muslims in 2022, a 24 per cent decrease from 2021.
Quick of NCCM said he suspects “hundreds and possibly thousands” of incidents go unreported and urged Canadians to notify police.
“It’s really, really important that people who are suffering any form of Islamophobia or antisemitism or any other forms of racism reach out and report these incidents as soon as they happen.”
Increased security at religious centres
Islamic centres and mosques in the country have been on “high alert” since Oct. 7, said Dalia Mohamed, representative of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) in Canada.
At ISNA centres, Mohammed said they have increased security and made sure there is a police presence at large congregations on Fridays.
“I think people are watching this with grave concern both for the loss of life overseas, but also for the impact that it has on our communities here in Canada,” she told Global News in an interview.
Days after the Hamas attack, Toronto police said they increased patrols in Jewish communities, along with cultural centres, synagogues, mosques and other places of worship across the city.
“People can expect to see a continued, increased police presence,” TPS said in a statement on Oct. 11.
Ottawa Police Service also beefed up its presence in areas of cultural and religious significance last week and in an updated statement Thursday said this “will remain in place during these uncertain times.”
“Our intelligence and investigative units continue to work with federal and provincial police and security partners to monitor the ongoing situation,” the statement said.
“The increased number of hate crimes, and hate-motivated incidents, are concerning,” it added.
As the tensions escalate, Mohamed said increased security is helpful, but it’s just a “Band-Aid solution.”
She said better education is needed to combat the larger community problems around Islamophobia that Canada faces and the government has a key role to play.
“I think the government’s rhetoric is important, especially at times like these, condemning Islamophobia in all of its forms, condemning anti-Arab hatred in all its forms, ensuring that people don’t dehumanize Muslims in the process,” she said.
During question period in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Kamal Khera, minister of diversity, inclusion and persons with disabilities, said that special envoys for antisemitism and Islamophobia, Deborah Lyons and Amira Elghawaby, respectively, will work together to support communities.
Mostyn said university campuses also have an obligation to ensure that all members of their communities feel safe.
He said there are community supports available, such as B’nai Brith’s online app, to assist victims of hate and antisemitism.
NCCM also helps Muslims seeking legal advice, advocacy, or representation in school boards, said Quick.
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