Toronto (November 28, 2017) - Statistics Canada's releasetoday of police-reported hate crimes for 2016 shows a 3 percent jump from 2015 due to increased targeting of specific groups, includingthe Jewish community. The Jewish community was the most targeted group in 2016,accounting for 16 per cent of all hate crimes across Canada.  

The report reveals that 221 police-reported hate crimes - 148 ofwhich took place in Ontario - were against the Jewish community in 2016, up by 24% from the 178 hate crimes reported in 2015. The Black community was the second-most targeted,while the Muslim community saw a decrease in incidents.

"This is, unfortunately, not shocking to learn, as theJewish community has always been the target of antisemitic and hateful attacks- often through vandalism, graffiti and hate speech - despite making up justover 1 per cent of the Canadian population," said Avi Benlolo, Presidentand CEO of Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center. "It's important to notethat many incidents go unreported or are marked as mischief by police, meaningthe number of hate crimes that take place is actually higher than what isreported. 

"Just this past month, we have witnessed swastikas beingdrawn on numerous buildings and even in front of a Jewish school north ofToronto, neo-Nazi posters found on university campuses, and the words 'HeilHitler' drawn on a university chalkboard. With the increase in extremistactivity on our streets, it is more important than ever that we commit to notallowing antisemitism to fester and not allow antisemitic groups to hide behindfalse narratives."

FSWC continues to track and counter antisemitism across thecountry, ensuring incidents are reported to local police. Most recently, FSWCfielded complaints from the public about content found in the antisemitic andhate-ridden publication Your Ward News, which eventually led to hate crimecharges against the editor and publisher. For a list of antisemitic incidentsfrom the past year in each province, go to www.fswc.ca and click the antisemitism tab.

Through its educational programs - including Tour for Humanity,Freedom Day and the National Policy Conference on Holocaust Education - theCenter works towards promoting tolerance and human rights in communities acrossCanada.

To arrange an interview with Avi Benlolo, please contact:

AvitalBorisovsky 
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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