Toronto (October 11, 2019) – Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) is pleased to note the arrest of two men after antisemitic graffiti was discovered at a Hamilton synagogue and calls on Hamilton Police Service to lay hate crime charges.

Hamilton police announced yesterday that two 19-year-olds were charged with mischief under $5,000 after antisemitic graffiti – including a swastika and the word ‘Jews’ crossed out – was found outside Beth Jacob Synagogue over the weekend.

“While we commend Hamilton police for investigating the incident and ensuring the perpetrators are found and arrested, a hate crime charge would be more appropriate than simply a mischief charge in this case,” said FSWC president and CEO Avi Benlolo. “The men charged were clearly targeting the Jewish community by spreading hate messages at a synagogue and must face the consequences for their actions.”

FSWC is reaching out to Hamilton police to call for hate crime charges to be laid and to offer a remedial program that educates adolescent hate crime perpetrators about the Holocaust.