Anti-Semitism on the rise in Canada

A Jewish group claims that anti-Semitism is growing in Canada:

B'nai Brith Canada's League for Human Rights released a report Tuesday citing 857 incidents across the country. It's the highest number since the organization began tracking such incidents 22 years ago. And it's up 47 per cent from 2003.

The biggest numbers were in Ontario and Quebec, with one incident recorded for the first time in Nunavut.

Especially troubling was a 59 per cent increase in incidents aimed at Jewish homes, said league director Ruth Klein.

"We find this number especially chilling because it implies a measure of premeditation," Klein said at an Ottawa news conference.

"People are actually taking the trouble to find out where Jews live, and targeting them in their own homes."

Incidents range from graffiti spray-painted on buildings, to bomb threats, to violence.

Jewish students were also targeted in 47 incidents, often linked to anti-Israel or anti-war events.

Almost one-third of all incidents occurred in March and April, when Israel launched countermeasures against terrorist groups in the Palestinian territory. Klein said that seemed to fall in line with a historical pattern surrounding Israeli military activity.

"We've often found in the past that whenever there's increased tension in the Middle East, Jews in this country are targeted by people who are acting out on their anti-Israel anger," said Klein.

Figures are compiled from incidents reported directly to the league's anti-hate hotline, or its regional offices in Toronto, Halton-Peel in Ontario, Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Edmonton.

Almost 45 per cent of the incidents in the 2004 report were investigated by police. Of those, 13 resulted in charges, with one leading to a prison sentence. Several cases are still before the courts.

The league makes a number of recommendations in its report, including having dedicated hate crime units established by all major police forces. The report also calls on Ottawa to amend the Criminal Code to include Holocaust denial as a hate crime.

B'nai Brith seems to be trying to use criminal activity as an excuse to restrict freedom of speech hence the call to include Holocaust denial as a "hate crime".