A man was charged for his role in a wave of antisemitic arson and vandalism attacks in the Greater Toronto Area, the Toronto Police Service (TPS) Hate Crime Unit announced, including the rare charge of advocating for genocide.
Thirty-two-year-old Amir Arvahi Azar was arrested on January 11, corresponding to the TPS’s confirmation to The Jerusalem Post of an arrest for attacks on the synagogue Kehillat Shaarei Torah.
The details of Azar’s alleged crimes were not detailed due to a court-imposed publication ban, but his charges related to incidents that occurred between April 26, 2024, and January 3, 2025, when a series of antisemitic attacks unfolded.
Many of the charges “are alleged to have been motivated by hatred toward the Jewish community,” said TPS.
The 29 charges against Azar included five counts of arson, and nine counts relating to mischief.
Weapons charges were also leveled against the suspect, including three counts of possessing a restricted firearm without holding a license or registration, two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon, possessing a firearm with altered serial numbers, and possession of a prohibited device.
There were also other criminal charges against Azar including possession of criminal proceeds over $5,000, possession of credit card data, and a forgery instrument.
Azar faces the rare charges of advocating for genocide and willful promotion of hatred, which TPS noted can only be leveled with the consent of the attorney-general. He also faces lesser threat and hate charges including public incitement, uttering threats, and criminal harassment.
The suspect was released on bail with several conditions after a Monday court hearing.
Why would authorities let the criminal be bailed?
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs questioned on X/Twitter on Monday why The Crown decided to allow a dangerous suspect like Azar out on bail.
Kehillat Shaarei Torah executive director Michael Gilmore, whose synagogue was attacked eight times since April 2024, praised the dedication of the police to protecting the Jewish community, though noting the process had taken longer than some had hoped.
“The fact that this individual was emboldened to commit so many crimes speaks to a much larger issue in Canada,” said Gilmore. “Jew-hatred has become increasingly normalized, tolerated, and even justified. These crimes are not isolated incidents – they are symptoms of a deeper and more insidious problem that demands urgent attention from our elected officials in every level of government.”
Kehillat Shaarei Torah was first vandalized on April 19 when its windows and doors were smashed with hammers. The act was repeated on May 17. On June 30, rocks were thrown through its windows as well as those of the Pride of Israel Synagogue.
Signs were set on fire and graffitied in July, and a dead raccoon was placed on the grounds. Signs were defaced twice in December.
Since the October 7 massacre, there has been an uptick in antisemitic incidents, including at the Bais Chaya Mushka Girls Elementary School, which was shot at three times. None was injured in the incidents, the most recent of which occurred in December. Two men were arrested for the May and October attacks.
A vandal dressed as the antagonist of the horror film Scream graffitied a supermarket, Gates of Zion bookstore, a Starbucks cafe, and a Jewish community center, and a synagogue with anti-Israel graffiti in July.
In June, Jonathan Szeftel was arrested and charged for a May rock attack on a Toronto Synagogue.
While Azar’s genocide charge is rare, independent politician Leslie Bory was found guilty in January for promoting hatred, advocating genocide, and threatening law enforcement and federal officials. Bory was sentenced to three years with credit for time already served since his February 2023 arrest.
Bnai Brith Canada thanked the Crown and police for their efforts, but last Monday expressed disappointment for the judge’s decision.
“Bory has targeted Jewish Canadians for years,” said Bnai Brith Canada. “In 2022, he told his supporters to ‘rise up’ against ‘Jewish minority rule,’ which he blamed for the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. Police detained Bory in February 2023 after he posted a recording suggesting that he was armed and preparing to engage in a violent insurrection.”
Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center Policy and Advocacy senior director Jaime Kirzner-Roberts, who testified in the case, said in a statement last Monday that the sentencing didn’t reflect the severity of Bory’s threats.
Mathilda Heller, Danielle Greyman-Kennard, and the Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
