Anti-Semitic notes, vandalism found at north-end Toronto condo

The Toronto police hate crime unit is investigating after receiving multiple reports of anti-Semetic notes being stuck on doors and mezuzahs being removed from the doorways of a north-end condo building.

A 69-year-old man, who didn’t want to be identified, told Global News he experienced two incidents over the past week.

“My mezuzah had been ripped off and the prayers had been taken off and they were left on the floor on Wednesday night (or) Thursday morning. And again Friday morning the mezuzah had been removed,” the 14-year building resident said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "My mezuzah had been ripped off and the prayers had been taken off and they were left on the floor on Wednesday night (or) Thursday morning. And again Friday morning the mezuzah had been removed," the 14-year building resident said.

The man said when he spoke with building staff Thursday morning, he said he was told another resident’s mezuzah was removed along with a wreath.

“I think it’s not just anti-Semitism. There’s some sort of religious fervor or someone who doesn’t know Jewish people don’t necessarily have wreaths on their doors,” he said.

A mezuzah is now taped on the man’s door along with sign for whoever is responsible for the damage.

“I put a sign up that just said, ‘Please respect private property and your vandalism has been reported to police,’” he said, adding the incidents will not deter him.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I put a sign up that just said, 'Please respect private property and your vandalism has been reported to police,'" he said, adding the incidents will not deter him.

Meanwhile, Toronto police spokesman Mark Pugash said officers received complaints from several residents of the Beecroft Road building Sunday evening.

He said the incidents haven’t been designated hate crimes as of Monday afternoon and officers have launched an investigation to determine how to proceed.

“We have to see if it reaches the threshold for hate crime. If it does, we have that option. If it doesn’t reach that threshold, then there may well be other criminal avenues that we can go down,” Pugash said, adding he wasn’t able to say if video surveillance captured the incidents or if there was a potential suspect.

Mayor John Tory condemned the incidents in a statement Monday afternoon.

“Anti-Semitism has no place in Toronto. Our Jewish residents should not have to face hatred on their doorsteps. These acts, and the people who carry them out, do not represent Toronto or Torontonians,” he said in part.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Anti-Semitism has no place in Toronto. Our Jewish residents should not have to face hatred on their doorsteps. These acts, and the people who carry them out, do not represent Toronto or Torontonians," he said in part.

“I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that the message is sent that there is no place for those who would seek to divide and to polarize Torontonians including on the basis of gross misrepresentations of religious faiths, whether it be Islam, Judaism or any other faith.”

Anyone with information is being asked to call police at 416-808-2222 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477.