Toronto Synagogue Pelted with Stones, Glass Panels Shattered

A Toronto synagogue was pelted with stones, smashing glass panels above the doors, Canadian politicians and Jewish groups said on Sunday, June 30. B’nai Brith Canada said that police were investigating the throwing of stones at the Pride of Israel Synagogue as a potential hate crime.

Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner visited the site, sharing a video in which he condemned the vandalism to the backdrop of the damage. “Any attacks on houses of worship are completely unacceptable. We pride ourselves on our diversity and tolerance,” Kerzner wrote on social media. “Hate has no place in our Ontario!”

The incident is the latest in a string of attacks on Jewish institutions in Canada and the greater Toronto area in particular. On June 1, a man was arrested for smashing a Toronto synagogue’s window with a rock. He was arrested two days later. The Toronto Kehillat Shaarei Torah synagogue’s windows were smashed on May 17 and April 19, and another in the same area had its signs set on fire on April 26 and April 28.

Meanwhile, after an investigation started on the incident with the Heathrow staff wearing Palestine flag badges and pulling Jewish passengers with an Israeli flag on their luggage for an extra security check, Heathrow’s passenger customer support department replied: “If a person speaks a language or dialect from a certain region as a secondary/tertiary language, a flag representing the region or country would be present which is provided by Heathrow.”

Eventually, while staff at the airport weren’t allowed to wear political or religious items, the passengers were told the badge was an exception to this rule. This is because it was used to “indicate an employee speaks a particular language or dialect from a certain region,” according to British media. (JPost / VFI News)

“Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters.” - Psalm 69:14