Overview
- Police confirmed gunfire at the Old Avenue Restaurant in Toronto over the Passover holiday, with the business closed at the time and no injuries reported.
- Community leaders counted this as the 12th time a synagogue or Jewish-owned business has been targeted in the current wave, warning that the threat now extends to all Canadians.
- Israeli consul general Idit Shamir said the shooting was part of a growing pattern of antisemitic violence and called for enforcement and real deterrence rather than more statements.
- Toronto Police boosted armed patrols around synagogues under a protective effort called Task Force Guardian, sharing a video to stress the aim is protection and reassurance.
- Political pressure intensified as Israel’s ambassador urged Prime Minister Mark Carney, Premier Doug Ford and Mayor Olivia Chow to act immediately, and Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman warned that normalizing constant protection signals a failure.