Anti-Semitic incidents in Canada rose last year by nearly four percent, continuing a 10-year-old trend that has sewn anti-Semitics acts double, according to B’nai Brith Canada’s annual review.
The number of anti-Semitic incidents in the country increased from 1,297 incidents in 2011, to 1,345 cases in 2012. Holocaust denial has soared.
The average increase for the three most western provinces combined was 25 percent, while in the Quebec region outside of Montreal, there was close to a four-fold increase.
Just over half the incidents took place in the province of Ontario, with the next largest number in Quebec, at 337 incidents.
From a ten-year perspective, incidents have more than doubled from the 584 cases in 2003. Since 2008, incidents have increased by 19 percent.
“We are particularly concerned about this year’s findings of increased participation in these incidents by perpetrators self-identifying as Muslims who are apparently supportive of Islamist ideologies of hate and violence,” said Frank Dimant, CEO of B’nai Brith Canada.
“But we are encouraged by the many Muslims with whom we work closely, who are prepared to expose anti-Semitism in their community,” he added.
Dimant added the audit shows an overall decrease in vandalism and violence, but an increase of 10.6 percent in incidents of harassment. “Jews were targeted in their homes and at their workplaces, on their way to synagogue or returning from school,” according to the report.
The study found Holocaust denial “soaring” by 77 percent, and threats “becoming more ugly, explicit and open.”