Groups demand Montreal 'play a more active role' combating antisemitism
Community groups in Montreal are calling for more to be done to stop antisemitism in the wake of hateful symbols being spray painted on a local synagogue.
Several people gathered Tuesday in front of Bagg Street Shul in the Plateau, which was defaced with swastikas last week.
"They had no fear, they took their time doing it. It actually looked very symmetrical so it was quite shocking," said Sam Sheraton, a member of the synagogue and son of Holocaust survivors.
The swastikas have since been removed. Montreal police are investigating the incident, but have not yet made any arrests.
"People of good faith who live and belong, they should be able to live and belong in freedom and free from acts of hate," said Henry Topas, the Quebec regional director of B’nai Brith Canada.
When community groups heard what happened to one of Quebec’s oldest synagogues, they mobilized in solidarity, denouncing the incident and calling on the city to do more.
"We hope to come up with — in the next few weeks — with some concrete ideas and measures to work with the City of Montreal, which has to play a more active role with the police and other agencies to develop what I call a new Montreal action plan to combat hate," said Fo Niemi, who heads the civil rights group Center for Research-Action on Race Relations (CRARR)
GROUP ALSO WANTS PROVINCE TO STEP IN
"Quebec should follow the example of Ontario and develop a curriculum that is age-appropriate and will help people understand what the Holocaust was," said Marvin Rotrand, national director of B’nai Brith’s League of Human Rights.
Last year, Ontario announced it would introduce mandatory Holocaust education to the Grade 6 curriculum in an attempt to help stop rising antisemitism in schools.
B'nai Brith said it believes a change to the curriculum could help lower the number of hate-motivated incidents in Montreal, where the number is the highest in the country.
The organization's 2021 report showed a 20 per cent increase in antisemitic incidents in Quebec.
Its 2022 report is set to be released later this month.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'We were vetted': Sex-ed organization 'disappointed' over Higgs' comments
The head of a Quebec-based sexual and reproductive health organization says she's disappointed New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has deemed presentations she did in the province last week inappropriate.
Grayson Murray's parents say the two-time PGA Tour winner died of suicide
Grayson Murray's parents said Sunday their 30-year-old son took his own life, just one day after he withdrew from a PGA Tour event.
The dreams of a 60-year-old beauty contestant come to an abrupt end in Argentina
A 60-year-old woman saw her dreams of becoming the oldest Miss Universe contestant in history melt away in a haze of sequins and selfies Saturday at Argentina’s annual beauty pageant.
2 died in plane crash near Squamish, B.C., police confirm
Two people died after a plane went down in a remote area near Squamish, B.C. on Friday, authorities have confirmed.
Kingston, Ont. tenants fed up with lack of action from landlord over broken floor tiles
Joel Felder and Misti Pitcher have been living in their apartment in Kingston, Ont. for over two years, but the past 12 months have been miserable.
Driver, 18, gets $3,000 ticket, 32 demerit points after speeding on Laval boulevard
A young driver received a hefty fine from Laval police after they say he was driving nearly 100 km/h over the posted speed limit.
Are you a loud snorer? You could have sleep apnea
You'll have a lot more energy throughout the day if you get a good night's sleep, but not everyone does due to a medical condition.
At least 15 dead after severe weather carves path of ruin across multiple U.S. states in the South
Powerful storms killed at least 15 people and left a wide trail of destruction Sunday across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.
North Korea informs Japan of a plan to launch military spy satellite
North Korea has told Japan it plans to launch a satellite by early next week, an apparent effort to put its second military spy satellite into orbit.