Several police forces in major Canadian cities vowed to be on alert Friday after calls for demonstrations from Hamas.
Notably, Toronto police pledged to increase patrols in the Queen City on Friday.
In a sign of the city’s tension, three people were arrested Thursday night after entering the grounds of the Toronto Hebrew Community Academy, a Jewish community high school located in North York.
After being asked to leave the campus, the three men allegedly made threats against students at the school against the Jewish community, police said, adding that they have launched a hate crime investigation.
In Vancouver, police will activate a special command center to deploy additional resources to protect the Jewish community.
“We are maintaining a heavy police presence around places of worship, community centers, schools and other important locations to stabilize the community,” commented Police Chief Adam Palmer.
In Montreal, police made sure to patrol sensitive areas and invited people to report hate crimes.
“My meetings with leaders of Montreal’s Jewish and Muslim communities reassured me of their intention to express their views freely and respectfully, reflecting the image of an open and inclusive city like ours,” he said. SPVM, Fadi Dagger.
A Qatar-based Hamas leader, Khaled Mashal, called for a “day of rage” around the world, raising fears of possible overreach.
Pro-Palestinian marches are also planned for Friday, including in Montreal, where demonstrators are called to gather at the Guy-Concordia metro station from 5:30 p.m.
“Music geek. Coffee lover. Devoted food scholar. Web buff. Passionate internet guru.”
