Toronto man, 48, charged after menorah damaged at Yorkville community centre

Jeffrey Johnston was arrested on Tuesday and charged by cops with mischief to property under $5,000

Published May 12, 2026  •  1 minute read

Image from Toronto Police of a suspect wanted in a suspected hate-motivated mischief investigation on April 10, 2026, in the Avenue and Davenport Rds. area. Photo by Toronto Police

Toronto Police have made an arrest in a suspected hate-motivated incident involving a menorah at a Yorkville community centre.

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On April 10, police were made aware of an alleged mischief incident that took place in the Avenue and Davenport Rds. area, where an unknown male suspect was allegedly walking past a large menorah in the front of a Jewish community centre and knocked it down, causing it to be damaged.

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Jeffrey Johnston, 48, of Toronto, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with mischief to property under $5,000.

Investigators said they would like to thank the public for their help as the accused was identified due to tips received from the public.

They also said the incident is being investigated as a suspected hate-motivated offence.

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While the charges have yet to be tested in court, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs applauded police for making a quick arrest in the case, saying they “appreciate the work of the Toronto Police Service, including the hate crime unit, in investigating this incident.

“From synagogues to schools to public displays of Jewish identity, blatant attacks against the Jewish community are becoming more frequent and more brazen,” the CIJA said in a post on social media. “This normalization cannot continue. Jewish communities must be able to live openly, safely and proudly across Canada.”

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They also said menorahs are a “visible expression of Jewish life, identity and belonging in Canada.

“Attempts to damage, intimidate or erase those symbols are about more than property destruction; they are attempts to push Jews out of public life and make our community feel unsafe being visibly Jewish,” the CIJA said.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact police at 416-808-3505 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477 or 222tips.com.

— With files from Jordan Ercit.

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