‘Disgusting’ antisemitic flyers distributed in Belleville weeks after synagogue shooting

Police continue to investigate a shooting outside of Belleville's Sons of Jacob Synagogue, Tuesday September 22, 2026. Photo by Peter J Thompson/National Post

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Not even two weeks after a hate-motivated attack on a synagogue in Belleville, Ont., antisemitic flyers were distributed in the city’s east end, according to police.

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Norman Weddum, the president of the synagogue that was targeted, called it “disgusting.”

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“It was so soon after the shooting,” he said. “What’s going on here?”

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The Jewish community in the area is still recovering from the Sept. 20 shooting at Sons of Jacob Synagogue, which left Const. Jeff Smith seriously injured. He was stationed outside the building on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, when 29-year-old Sean Ward opened fire.

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Bullets holes are seen in a window at the Sons of Jacob synagogue in Belleville, Ont., after a shooting on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. Photo by Supplied

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Weddum was inside with around 25 congregants for the evening prayer service. Doug Lobel was also attending that service when dozens of shots rang out.

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“Just over a week ago, I was there that night of the shooting, and like many in our community, I had only begun the process of trying to heal and regain a sense of safety,” he told National Post.

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“Seeing these flyers posted around the east side of Belleville near the synagogue yesterday has brought that night and all those emotions rushing back. Yesterday was a very difficult day.”

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Weddum said he’s not sure how many people were involved with handing out the flyers, or if it was only one person, but there were “a lot” distributed.

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Copies of the flyers shared with National Post showed messaging that promoted conspiracy theories blaming the Jewish community for the COVID-19 pandemic, abortion, gun control and mass immigration.

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The synagogue shooter reportedly “spouted” a theory that blamed Jews for COVID and was discharged from the Canadian Armed Forces due to his refusal to receive the COVID vaccine. After the attack, police shared a video where Ward could be heard shouting “You are going to die for the Jews” before shooting at Smith.

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Sean Ward, the suspect in a shooting at a Belleville, Ont., synagogue. Photo by Doug Ward/Facebook

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Police said the shooting deliberately targeted the Jewish community and Ward had the “means, the motive and the mechanisms” to carry out a bigger attack.

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Ward later died in hospital. Smith is in critical but stable condition.

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The Belleville Police Service said it was aware of “flyers being distributed in the east end of Belleville containing antisemitic messaging” on Oct. 1. It is asking anyone with information or video evidence to share it. Police have been in contact with community leaders and are “taking proactive steps to support the safety and well-being of residents.”

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Increased patrols are continuing in Belleville at places of worship as well as other community gathering spaces.

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Jewish advocacy groups, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto released a statement on X saying that the flyers are “more than hateful rhetoric.”

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“Libels and conspiracies about Jews and Israelis are fuelling hate and violence against Canadians,” it said. “Canada’s security services have sounded the alarm of the current situation in which acts of antisemitism become so prevalent and frequent that they create an environment that influence extremists toward more violent pathways.”