Toronto Jews injured in drive-by shooting with ‘gel-blaster’ firearm

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Jewish organizations, such as the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, have marked it as another indication of the growing wave of antisemitic violence in the city, home to Canada’s largest Jewish population.

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“These targeted attacks are intended to threaten our community and force us to hide our identity,” it wrote.

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“It won’t work. We are resilient, strong, and determined to live our Jewish lives freely and openly.”

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The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) said Canada is “facing a wave of violent extremism and radicalization” that threatens everyone and “endangers the personal safety and democratic values of all Canadians.”

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“Confronting these forces requires everyone to stand up and demand action before we face the kind of loss of life seen in Australia, the UK, and the U.S.,” it wrote on X.

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The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) and its founder and CEO, Avi Abraham Benlolo, anathematized the latest incident and demanded swift action to protect the Jewish community.

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“This brazen, hate-motivated assault is unacceptable and reflects a dangerous escalation of antisemitism in Toronto,” it wrote in a statement.

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“We commend the Hate Crime Unit’s investigation and urge swift identification of the suspect. Enforcement of the law must be paramount.”

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On Friday, the organization called on the Ottawa to invoke the Emergencies Act to counter growing antisemitism and violence.

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“If the previous government could invoke the National Emergencies Act on account of peaceful trucker protests and gridlocks in Ottawa, it can legitimately call the attacks on the Jewish community a national emergency,” Benlolo wrote in a National Post column.

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The National Council of Canadian Muslims also denounced the “disgusting and deeply concerning” incident.

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“This kind of violence has no place in Canada. Those responsible should face the harshest possible penalties,” it wrote on X.

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