TORONTO (July 9, 2017) - Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) continues to track an alarming rise in antisemitism and hate graffiti. A few days ago, another incident took place at a park in Fort Erie where Nazi symbols and crude images were spray painted on a children's playground and nearby clubhouse.

FSWC reached out to the clubhouse - where clean-up efforts began today - to offer assistance in dealing with the situation.

"We are very concerned that Canadians are more emboldened to express hate and intolerance. The fact that such incidents are percolating all over the country shows a deeper social problem," says Avi Benlolo, President and CEO of FSWC.

FSWC tracks real-time national incidents by province and region on its website at fswc.ca - under the "antisemitism" tab. In response, FSWC deploys its Tour for Humanity across the province to educate youth about the impact of hate and intolerance. In the fall, the organization will hold Freedom Day in Toronto and in the winter, a national Holocaust symposium. 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 29 
aborisovsky@fswc.ca

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

__________________________________________________________________

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