A man was arrested May 25, for a suspected hate-motivated incident after he allegedly threatened students and assaulted a staff member with a weapon at a yeshiva in Toronto.
A news release from Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre identified the location as Yeshiva Gedolah of Toronto in the Bathurst Street and Lawrence Avenue area.
According to Toronto Police, a 21-year-old man was riding his bicycle through school property and was confronted by students. He returned a short time later and began yelling at the students and made antisemitic comments.
The man was confronted by school staff and a physical confrontation occurred. A staff member was threatened and assaulted.
Police are investigating the event as a “hate-motivated incident” and the Hate Crimes Unit has been involved.
The man has been charged with five offences including uttering threats, assault and assault with a weapon. He is scheduled to appear in court July 28.
Constable Tina-Louise Trepanier, police media relations officer, could not confirm what kind of weapon the man allegedly used. In an email to The CJN she said he remained in custody.
“It is extremely troubling that a man with a weapon violently threatened people at a yeshiva and, even more disturbingly, yelled that he wanted to kill Jews. Clearly, this was an antisemitic crime, and the perpetrator must face consequences for his disturbing actions,” said Jaime Kirzner-Roberts, FSWC’s director of policy
“Such an attack comes on the heels of the Toronto Police Service’s most recent annual hate crime report that once again showed the city’s Jewish community as the most targeted group. Jewish students deserve to go to school without fearing threats and violence.”
The yeshiva did not respond to The CJN’s request for comments.
