Early this morning, Toronto Fire extinguished a blaze at International Delicatessen Foods, a Jewish-owned business located at Steeles Avenue and Petrolia Road. “Free Palestine” graffiti and broken windows were discovered at the scene.

Toronto Police Service has announced this evening that its hate crime unit has launched a detailed investigation. A police spokesperson, who called the incident a “tipping point”, stated: “This is a criminal act. It is violent. It is targeted. It is organized. We will leave no stone unturned.”

We are outraged and deeply concerned by this serious crime. Such an act of hate-motivated arson would be the result of three months of escalating hate and intimidation against Toronto’s Jewish community. History demonstrates that violent words lead to violent actions. This must end now.

Our Jewish community is strong, proud, and resilient. But our very future—as a community and as a city—is at stake. We urge all Torontonians: Take a stand. Speak up against the growing antisemitism in our midst. Support your Jewish friends and neighbours. We belong here and we have a right to live in safety.

⁠Police are asking the public to share any dashcam or security camera footage from the area. If you have information that may assist their important work to identify a suspect, we urge you to contact police without delay.

We remind community members to exercise healthy vigilance and heightened awareness. Please report any suspicious activity taking place near Jewish institutions or businesses. In an emergency, call 911. When safe, please report incidents to UJA Community Security at 416-635-5600.

We remain in continued communication with police and will keep our community updated on key developments.

Sincerely,