An arrest was made in connection to the vandalizing of signs in front of a Toronto synagogue that has been targeted eight times since October, Kehillat Shaarei Torah told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.
On July 31, the alleged vandal set synagogue signs on fire with a blowtorch. According to the synagogue, the suspect is linked to other occurrences in the city.
Toronto Police Service (TPS) confirmed on Tuesday that an arrest had been made in the case, but that further details, including the suspect’s identity, would be released once charges were filed.
According to the synagogue, the signs set on fire in July had just been replaced after they had been spray-painted.
Kehillat Shaarei Torah was first vandalized on April 19 when its windows and doors were smashed with hammers, an act that was repeated on May 17.
Additional cases of vandalism
On June 30, a motorcyclist threw rocks through the windows of Kehillat Shaarei Torah, as well as through those of the Pride of Israel synagogue.
Not long after the signs had been graffitied and set on fire in July, a dead raccoon was placed on the synagogue’s grounds, which the synagogue said was intentional.
A large decal reading “genocide” was placed on the synagogue’s signs for the Jewish National Fund and United Jewish Appeal Federation of Greater Toronto on December 1. A similar sticker was placed on a sign on December 22, so that instead of “standing with Israelis,” the sign read, “Genocide with Israelis, it’s what we do.”
A second sign about the hostages held by Hamas was changed using spray paint from “Bring them home now” to “Take their [sic] homes now.” After eight incidents of vandalism, the synagogue reportedly had to spend over $160,000 on physical security improvements as well as additional security guards.
The Jewish community in Toronto and across Canada has seen an uptick in antisemitic vandalism and attacks on Jewish institutions and businesses since the October 7 massacre.