Toronto (November 3, 2017) - Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) is deeply concerned about reports of "Okay To Be White" posters on at least two Canadian university campuses placed over Halloween. In both cases, the posters were coordinated through online social forums. 

Disturbingly, participants were encouraged to dress up in costumes to avoid detection at the University of Toronto, while at the University of Alberta those promoting this messaging hoped for a backlash. There are unconfirmed reports of the use of razor blades behind the posters to prevent their removal. The same poster has been reported in Saskatoon this week. 

"The coordinated effort being made through social media combined with the willingness to create division by promoting a message of intolerance is a most troubling development," said Avi Benlolo, President and CEO of FSWC. "We once again urge campus administrators and student bodies to speak out in condemnation against those who wish to poison the climate on campus and to work with enforcement personnel and police to ensure that those responsible are identified and disciplined."

Through its advocacy initiatives and educational programs – such as Tour for Humanity, Freedom Day and the National Policy Conference on Holocaust Education – FSWC speaks out against all forms of hate and antisemitism, and it committed to promoting tolerance and acceptance in communities throughout Canada.

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Media Contact: 

Avital Borisovsky 
Communications Associate     
416.864.9735 x 29 
aborisovsky@fswc.ca

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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. 

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