Police investigating threats made against Jewish community in Waterloo Region, Guelph

Regional police are investigating threats made towards the Jewish communities in Waterloo Region and Guelph.

According to the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS), the threats were posted to the Hillel Ontario website, a group engaging Jewish students, on March 22. The threats were directed towards members of the Jewish community.

“In the last year, the reports (of anti-Jewish hate) have surged eleven times higher than what they had been in pre-October 7th context,” Jay Solomon, Hillel Ontario, Chief Advancement Officer, told CityNews. “So, certainly it’s fair to say that Jewish students on campuses in Ontario and indeed across North America are being subjected to antisemitism at record rates.”

“I think was has become very clear is that the distinction between antisemitism and anti-Zionism is basically non-existent at this point,” Solomon said, adding, “Hatred for Israel, in many cases, is being directed at Jews and in particular at Jewish students, and that’s unacceptable. The Jewish community, like all other communities, deserves the right to self-determination and to think that a student on a campus in Ontario should be responsible for the actions of any government is ridiculous.”

Solomon went on to thank WRPS and Guelph police for the swift action to ensure the students safety and the seriousness at which they take cases like these.

On March 26, a 17-year-old was arrested and charged with uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm. His actions were found to be in relation to the threats.

The threats made online are still being investigated by the WRPS General Investigations and Cybercrime Units.

According to police, there is no threat to public safety.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at (519)570-9777 ext. 6370.