MONTREAL -- The mayor of a Montreal suburb is calling for other municipal leaders to denounce anti-Semitism after several recent anti-Jewish incidents in the region.
Mitchell Brownstein, mayor of Cote-Saint-Luc, which has a large Jewish community, says he met with Montreal police Thursday.
He says police told him they believe the threat of anti-Jewish attacks is low but are ready to protect residents.
Brownstein says people in his community are worried after receiving online threats and witnessing anti-Jewish incidents, including on Monday when two men, aged 19 and 20, were arrested after they drove into Cote-Saint-Luc and allegedly yelled antisemitic comments at people.
Montreal police told CTV News it will enhance patrols in the mayor's suburb, as well in Côte-des-Neiges, Mont-Royal, Outremont and Plateau-Mont-Royal due to recent anti-Semitic threats.
"An increased police presence is thus ensured on the ground in these sectors, notably through more frequent patrols, both by vehicle and on foot, and outreach work is carried out by socio-community agents," the police service wrote in an email.
Court records show the men who were driving around Cote-Saint-Luc were each charged with uttering threats and possession of a dangeous weapon and appeared in court the following day. One of the two men was also charged with hate speech.
On Wednesday, the chair of the youth council in the borough of Montreal-Nord was removed from his position over posts on his Instagram page that were described as racist.
Several posts on Zakaria Zaki Rouaghi's Instagram page show him insulting police during a counter-protest to a pro-Israel gathering on Sunday.
With files from CTV's Joe Lofaro. Watch the video above for CTV's video report from May 21, 2021.
- This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 20, 2021.
