Toronto and York Region Hate Crime Statistics Underscore Troubling Persistence of Antisemitism
TORONTO, ON – This week, Toronto Police Service and the Regional Municipality of York Police Services Board released their annual...
TORONTO, ON – This week, Toronto Police Service and the Regional Municipality of York Police Services Board released their annual hate crime reports. In 2020, reported hate crimes in Toronto increased by more than 50%, while reported hate crimes in York Region increased by 20%.
In Toronto, the Jewish community, constituting a tiny fraction of the city’s population, remained the most frequently-targeted group for hate crime, followed by the Black and LGBTQ communities. Reported hate crimes against Jewish Torontonians increased by more than 40% compared to 2019. More than one in third of all hate crimes in Toronto were antisemitic in nature.
In York Region, the Jewish community was the victim of 79% of reported hate crimes motivated by religion, and more than 18% of hate crimes overall. Hate crimes targeting the Jewish community in York Region decreased 25% from 2019.
In response, Noah Shack, Vice President, Greater Toronto Area, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), issued the following:
“The most recent hate crime data should raise alarm bells for Canadian leaders at all levels of government. The deleterious impact of hate crimes extends far beyond the immediate targets and their communities. These heinous crimes tear at the very fabric of Canadian society, and we must be steadfast and preventing and opposing them.
“In addition to the unique challenges of a global pandemic, the Jewish community faced a disproportionate wave of hate crime in 2020. More than ever, we are witnessing the insidious spread of online hate. Too often, what starts with online radicalization can turn into real-world violence. These reports highlight the need for urgent action against online hate and radicalization.”
Additional Information:
- Toronto Police Service 2020 Annual Hate Crime Statistical Report [Pg 114]
- Annual Report on Hate Crime Policy [York Region]
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) is the advocacy agent of the Jewish Federations of Canada-UIA
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