You know things have changed when thugs deliberately tag a Toronto Police station with graffiti without any fear.
Trains, yes. Schools — as well as churches, statues, malls, or underpasses — yes. We have seen it all. But a police station hit by graffiti assassins?
Say “it ain’t so” in Toronto, the once good.But it is. Toronto is not so good, tolerant or safe, anymore.
On the streets — post Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 slaughter in Israel a year ago — many people have already commented that it feels like the Wild West where anything goes.
Shootings happen at will – including Monday during a strange road rage incident on Yonge St.
Toronto Police were also everywhere in the city, bracing themselves for potential trouble emanating from any public gatherings marking the one-year-anniversary of a terror attack that left the most Jewish people murdered in one day since the Holocaust.
The open anti-Semitism on the streets of Toronto in this past year will go down in history as a disgrace for this city.
Even on the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ terror attack, there were people in a Jewish neighbourhood — as Toronto Councillor James Pasternak described — trying to intimidate and harass the community. The police came and cleared them out of there.
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But it will take decades to repair what has been broken in this past year. People now also spew anti-Semitic hate in public — in front of police officers and on camera — without a care of being held accountable.
Jewish businesses are targeted for vandalism and synagogues, mosques and churches have all been targeted.
Journalists are roughed up at protests – like independent journalist and lawyer Caryma Sa’d who had her cellphone slapped out of her hand by a man in pro-Palestinian colours who had most of his face covered.
One of her fingers was twisted out of place but with the help of a splint, she’s on the mend. But she could have easily been more seriously hurt.
It’s not easy being a reporter covering these non-stop protests because demonstrators know they can do pretty well whatever they want with little risk of facing consequences.
The puncher who a year ago assaulted Olga Goldberg — and allegedly ripped up a poster of now-freed Hamas-held hostage Mia Schem — remains at large.
It’s already madness out there. However, going up to vandalize a police station is an escalation that surprised many, since this brazen thuggery sends a message that they are in charge.Who they are is not yet known?
The tagging on the wall of 52 Division was noticed by Joe Cristiano, who is the producer of John Moore’s morning show on Newstalk 1010. What the graffiti represents does not seem to be related to the Israel-Hamas conflict, but more anti-police rhetoric.
But what it does is show those who did this feel they can do it and get away with it. Now it’s time for police to show they are wrong and use every available tool to arrest the person or people who are responsible.
Even bring in homicide detectives to help solve it. Throw every resource at it because there is no hope for any of us if — thanks to our revolving-door justice system — the criminal element is no longer afraid to target a police station. It will be open season.
While police have not commented, officers say they are aware of these issues. They are also a little busy right now. Shootings every day. Protests every day.
On average, two police officers are injured on the job every day, and two were shot and wounded in the past two months.
But there are cameras all around 52 Division, and those who tagged the station should look over their shoulders.
And maybe after an arrest is made, a justice of the peace will this time draw a line in the sand and — realizing that protecting a police station is pretty important — make obtaining bail a little more difficult than usual.
Or maybe not.Maybe nobody cares anymore.
The people who terrorize the city are counting on that.