Jewish school in Canada hit by gunfire for second time

By AFP
October 12, 2024

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said anti-Semitism is 'a disgusting and dangerous form of hate' - Copyright AFP/File Ludovic MARIN

A Jewish school in Toronto was hit by gunfire Saturday for the second time this year, police said, as Canada sees a rise in anti-Semitic attacks since the start of the war in Gaza.

No one was injured after shots were fired from a vehicle at around 4 am (0800 GMT) at the Bais Chaya Mushka girls school, with the only damage being a broken window, according to authorities.

The school in the North York area of Toronto was targeted in a similar incident in May, and police believe the two shootings are connected.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was “very disturbed” by the incident, which came as Jewish people celebrated Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in Judaism.

“As we wait for more details, my heart goes out to the students, staff and parents who must be terrified and hurting today,” Trudeau said in a post on X.

“Anti-Semitism is a disgusting and dangerous form of hate — and we won’t let it stand,” he added.

According to a report published in May by Jewish organization B’nai Brith Canada, anti-Semitic acts more than doubled in the country between 2022 and 2023.

In November 2023, a Jewish school in Montreal was shot at twice in a single week, with no one injured.