Toronto synagogue vandalised night before Walk for Israel, hate crime probe launched
A window at the Mishkan Avraham Synagogue on Bathurst St. was smashed overnight, hours before the annual Walk for Israel. Toronto Police Hate Crimes Unit is investigating.
Toronto synagogue window smashed hours before Walk for Israel
A window at the Mishkan Avraham Synagogue at 2797 Bathurst St. in North York was shattered overnight Friday, according to Toronto Sun Crime, as the city prepared for Sunday's annual UJA Walk for Israel along the same neighbourhood route.
Toronto Police described the incident as "mischief damage" on their X account, stating that officers "responded to reports of damage at a synagogue" at Bathurst St. and Glencairn Ave., where "a window was broken with an unknown object." Police confirmed the damage was "believed to have occurred overnight" and that there were "no suspect description(s) currently available." No injuries were reported.
The Toronto Police Hate Crimes Unit has opened an investigation.
Alongside the broken glass, a bullseye sticker — resembling a reflective target of the kind used with laser and optical measuring instruments — was found affixed to the building. Based on branding visible in a corner of the sticker, the target appears to be a Leica product, typically used as a reference point for surveying or precision measurement equipment. Police have not confirmed whether the sticker was placed by the suspect, left behind by forensic officers, or was otherwise unrelated to the incident. Toronto Sun Crime said it asked police directly about the sticker but did not receive an immediate response.
Whether the target was placed intentionally to mark the location for others remains under investigation.
B'nai Brith condemns response as insufficient
Richard Robertson, Director of Research and Advocacy at B'nai Brith Canada, issued a statement Saturday calling the attack a symptom of a deeper failure in policy.
"Less than a week after the Prime Minister addressed the Jewish community and spoke of the need to rectify Canada's failing social compact and to protect Jewish Canadians, yet another synagogue in Toronto was targeted and vandalised in what is being investigated as a hate crime," Robertson said.
He added that the incident "exemplifies how the approach to combatting antisemitism presently being undertaken in this country is not enough — it fails to capture the gravity of the national crisis of antisemitism."
The vandalism occurred less than 36 hours after an attempted firebombing at a synagogue in Montreal, where police arrested a 38-year-old man in connection with an alleged overnight arson attempt. Robertson's statement and the timing of both incidents have amplified concern within Jewish communities across the country.
Security concerns ahead of Sunday's march
The annual Walk for Israel, organised by the United Jewish Appeal, is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Sunday, covering nearly four kilometres northbound along Bathurst St. from Wilson Ave. to just below Sheppard Ave. W. Organisers expect tens of thousands of participants.
The shattered window has unsettled many Jewish families planning to attend, particularly those bringing children. In previous years, participants described portions of the route as a "Gauntlet of Hate," with masked protesters shouting antisemitic slurs at marchers, including families with young children.
Deputy Chief Frank Barredo told reporters Friday that police have a plan to keep participants and demonstrators separated, with hate crime experts deployed along the route. Barredo acknowledged the line between free speech and hate speech was "blurry" and said officers would work to distinguish between protected protest activity and criminal conduct in real time.
Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw has stated publicly that individuals breaking the law will be arrested "swiftly" and that sufficient resources are in place. However, critics argue that authorities have not communicated clearly to demonstrators where they may lawfully gather and what conduct is prohibited — a lack of clarity that, some argue, makes crowd management more difficult.
One proposal that has circulated is the designation of a specific protest zone, physically separated from the march route, to eliminate direct contact between protesters and participants.
A pattern of incidents since October 2023
Saturday's attack on Mishkan Avraham is the latest in a series of incidents targeting Toronto's Jewish community since October 7, 2023. These have included gel capsule projectiles fired at community members, gunshots into synagogues, Jewish schools and businesses, and a shooting at the United States consulate in the city.
The cumulative frequency of these incidents has led advocacy groups and community leaders to call the situation a national crisis, a characterisation Robertson's statement echoed on Saturday.
Police were on scene at the Bathurst St. synagogue on Saturday. The investigation remains ongoing.
Source: Toronto Sun Crime