Ottawa police are investigating a recent incident of anti-Semitic hate in Ottawa.<\/p>\n
On Monday morning, police were called to Laurier Avenue West and Elgin Street to investigate anti-Semitic graffiti sprayed on the sign for the Ottawa Courthouse and Land Registry Offices. The graffiti depicted a Swastika painted over the Ontario trillium.<\/p>\n
This is the most recent incident in a series of hateful acts directed toward Ottawa\u2019s Jewish community. Ottawa police are also investigating eight more incidents of posters displaying anti-Semitic rhetoric. The posters have been sighted across the city, in Kanata, Barrhaven and, most recently, at a skatepark in Nepean.<\/p>\n
Andrea Freedman, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Ottawa (JFO), called the incidents \u201cdeeply concerning.\u201d According to Freedman, the posters cite anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and tropes which \u201cappear in the darkest corners of the internet.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSomebody actually pays and takes the time to print and laminate them and put them up around town just to upset people,\u201d said Freedman.<\/p>\n
In a 2018 survey<\/a> conducted by the Simon Wiesenthal Foundation (SWP), 11.7 per cent\u2014over one tenth\u2014of Ontario residents surveyed responded that they believe Jewish people talk too much about the Holocaust. Over 14 per cent of Ontarians said they believe Jewish people have too much influence in the business world.<\/p>\n Freedman said the persistence of anti-Semitism in Canada is \u201ca manifestation of a lack of understanding and a lack of knowledge,\u201d but the best way to combat anti-Semitic ideals is through education.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that our government has taken some really helpful actions, but I think that there's a lot of work still to be done,\u201d said Freedman. \u201cI think it's very clear that greater education is required, and that it's something that should be done nationally and systematically to develop a curriculum that can be implemented across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n The Jewish Federation of Ottawa has advised people who see anti-Semitic posters or graffiti not to touch them in order to preserve them as evidence. In a joint statement<\/a> from the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) and the JFO, Freedman urged all Canadians to \u201cstand strong against the dangers of anti-Semitism.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cImmediately contact the non-emergency line of the police,\u201d said Freedman. \u201cAllow the police to come and investigate it. Report it so that we can continue to track the number of hate crimes in our city and in our country.\u201d<\/p>\n