TORONTO (August 25, 2017) - In the wake of rising incidents of hate crime and hate speech, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) is launching a community-wide petition to call upon Ontario's Attorney General, Yasir Naqvi, to respond to the Jewish community's complaints and concerns. 

"Over the last couple of years, FSWC has filed a number of hate crime-related complaints with police and with the Attorney General's office. We have expressed our concern over hateful rallies at Queens Park like 'Al Quds Day' and hateful publications like 'Your Ward News,'" said Avi Benlolo, President and CEO of FSWC. Unfortunately, the response has been inadequate and this seems to have only emboldened both white supremacist groups and Islamic groups who have both called for our annihilation. 

By launching a petition, FSWC hopes that community awareness and pressure on the Attorney General will draw attention to the rising tide of hate and intolerance in our communities. The petition is entitled "Stand Up To Hate" and can be found at www.friendsofsimonwiesenthalcenter.com/petition on the FSWC website.  

"As a society, we cannot be silent. It is our duty and obligation to speak out against hate and intolerance and to apply the law as necessary," said Benlolo. To track antisemitism and hate crime, FSWC has a running list of incidents across the country which can be found on its website at www.fswc.ca under the antisemitism tab.   

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To arrange an interview with Avi Benlolo, please contact:

Atara Cadesky  
Communications Associate  
416.864.9735 x 30  
acadesky@fswc.ca

Avital Borisovsky  
Communications Associate    
416.864.9735 x 30  
aborisovsky@fswc.ca

Follow us on Twitter at @CanadianFSWC for latest news and organization updates.

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Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) is a top Jewish human rights foundation in Canada's organized Jewish community. It directly impacts over 100,000 people each year and 500,000+ peripherally. FSWC is committed to countering racism and antisemitism and to promoting the principles of tolerance, social justice and Canadian democratic values through advocacy and educational programs including workshops, Freedom Day, Spirit of Hope Benefit, Tools for Tolerance and the widely acclaimed Tour for Humanity. FSWC is affiliated with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an international Jewish human rights organization headquartered in Los Angeles which has won two Academy Awards, has built two Museums of Tolerance (with a third being built in Jerusalem) and is an NGO at the United Nations, UNESCO, OAS, OSCE, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament. Visit us at www.fswc.ca. 

Canadian Headquarters: Toronto 

Branches: Los Angeles • New York • Chicago • Paris • Buenos Aires • Israel