Anti-Semitic incidents in Canada up by 4 percent - ‘perpetrators self-identifying as Muslims’
B’nai B’rith Canada’s yearly audit, released this week, shows anti-Semitic acts in the country increased from 1,297 incidents in 2011, to 1,345 cases in 2012 — a 3.7% jump.
Regional differences in Canada highlight some “anomalies,” the organization pointed out. The average increase for the three most western provinces combined was 25%, while in regional Quebec, located outside of Montreal, there was close to a fourfold increase.
Just over half the incidents, or 730, took place in the province of Ontario, with the next largest number in Quebec, at 337 incidents.
Overall, Canada has seen a steady increase in anti-Semitic incidents in the past decade, the report found. In 2003, there were just 584 cases. Since 2008, incidents have increased by 19%.
“We are particularly concerned,” said Frank Dimant, CEO of B’nai B’rith Canada, “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. But we are encouraged by the many Muslims with whom we work closely, who are prepared to expose anti-Semitism in their community.”
He noted that the audit shows an overall decrease in vandalism and violence, but an increase of 10.6% 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%, and threats “becoming more ugly, explicit and open.”
Comments
Post a Comment