Toronto police say they’ll be increasing their presence across the city ahead of the one-year anniversary of the start of the Israel-Hamas war, with multiple command posts in Jewish neighbourhoods and near religious institutions as hate crime reports soar.
Monday will mark one year since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the ongoing war in Gaza.
Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw says there will be more plainclothes and uniformed officers, as well as patrol cars, dispatched across the city to address the potential for increased protest activity and violent acts amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
Demkiw says there will also be multiple command posts in Jewish neighborhoods and at various mosques in the city, and police are working with partners and intelligence services to monitor potential threats.
He says police will also continue ensuring safety at demonstrations while balancing the right to assembly and expression.
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Demkiw says in the year to date, there have been 350 alleged hate crimes reported in Toronto — a 40 % increase since this time last year — with the greatest increase in alleged hate crimes against the Jewish community, which are up by 69%.
The increased police presence in Toronto comes as police in York Region announced a similar move, saying they’ll also be deploying more officers and command posts near faith-based institutions, schools and community centres.