OP-ED: Toronto police have failed the Jewish community
"The Toronto Police Service cannot be trusted to protect the Jewish community, full stop."
Should we call it tone deaf?
Or two-tiered policing?
Or a lack of political will?
Or sheer incompetence?
Or have all four factors been in play on the streets of Toronto in the past two-plus years (since the horrific atrocities of Oct. 7)
I would vote for all four.
The Toronto Police Service cannot be trusted to protect the Jewish community, full stop.
In fact I would venture to say they have enabled and emboldened the Jew haters with their hands-off approach to policing the protesters.
Certainly posting this tweet before the weekend and not allowing comments is the height of tone deafness, or even worse, gaslighting.
The tweet was so insulting that newly appointed TPS superintendent (appointed earlier this year) Katherine Stephenson was forced to defend it at a 30-minute webinar Monday, organized by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA).
The webinar was tightly controlled with the organizers deciding which questions would be asked and repeatedly thanking the police for all they’re doing.
Stephenson said the tweet was “speaking to an individual or group that has made a specific threat to the Jewish community.”
She added that they don’t consider “ongoing threats” with any less gravity— that, get this, they have a team “that analyzes threats and their risk.”
So an entire team of people who probably don’t understand or care about the rise in anti-Semitism in Toronto and across Canada analyze whether people masked (to hide their identity which is against the law) are a threat when they scream “Death to Jews” and march through Jewish neighbourhoods in Toronto with their flags and their slogans.
It got even more insulting when superintendent Frank Barredo was asked what steps police are taking to ensure the safety of people in Jewish neighbourhoods where
the protesters have gathered every Sunday for two-plus years.
While saying he was ”mindful of the frustration” felt by the Jewish community and the “feeling that this generates,” he said they have to find a balance between “charter rights” and reasonable public safety.
Then the shoe dropped, showing he really isn’t “mindful” at all.
He confirmed they continually seek legal advice to determine the extent of their legal authorities—meaning their legal counsel Falguni Debnath and outside legal firms.
“We always keep in mind the rights of people to protest and the limits of those rights,” he said.
Stephenson claimed that just because charges aren’t laid immediately, that doesn’t mean they won’t be.
She said it takes many “consultative meetings” with legal before any charges are laid.
“We rarely get it perfect, added Barredo.
That’s for damn sure.
As I listened to these two bureaucrats, it became abundantly clear that there are far too many people at TPS HQ analyzing and not doing, that they are afraid of the Islamists and that they are using their extensive analysis to pretend their decision-making is free of political and legal interference.
These bureaucrats must think we’re awfully stupid.
Putting more officers on the streets (on bikes and in cars) means absolutely nothing if they stand there with their arms crossed watching my community getting harassed or worse still, warn Jews to be “nice” or to remove themselves from the situation.
It has become abundantly clear to me that they are more worried about getting sued by Islamist organizations with deep pockets than doing the right thing and protecting Jews.
No wonder the Jewish community in Canada is worried about a Bondi-type attack occurring here.
It seems the Toronto police — aka the Keystone Cops — are too worried about covering their backsides to police!
But in fairness, they have a chief who is an apologist for Mayor Olivia Chow and council’s Hamas caucus and a police board chairman — Shelley Carroll — who does whatever it takes to stay in office and stay relevant (not what’s morally right).
We have a premier — Doug Ford — who is too busy calling US President Donald Trump all kinds of names and performing theatrical stunts.
He is complicit in his silence.
Of course, we have a Prime Minister who calls for the creation of a Palestinian state, attacks Israel and lets in Gazans without proper vetting — then appears at a Hanukkah candle lighting to make it appear as if he really cares.
It’s all performative bullshit.
Mark my words. He doesn’t give the protection of the Jewish community a second thought.
As CIJA CEO Noah Shack said Monday, our political leaders “must break the cycle of buck passing and finger pointing.”
But they won’t because no one holds them to account.
Not the media.
Not our politicians and certainly not self-serving police services board chairman Carroll.
Not the very people who held Monday’s tightly scripted and highly webinar.
It has become obvious that transparency is a thing of the past.
Whenever someone in the media speaks up or asks hard questions or attempts to hold an elected politician’s or police brass feet to the fire, they are blocked, banned or ignored.
And the TPS can continue to pretend they’re really doing something.
And yet, not a word about Gaza. Canada seems to be awash in a lack of context and proportion.
Merry Christmas to all anyway.
what happened to Equality.....you know, we all deserve the same treatment?