British Columbia leaders unite in outrage after hateful antisemitic graffiti targets Canada’s oldest synagogue, as statistics show Jews remain the most targeted religious group in the country.
Victoria, BC — In a shocking act of brazen antisemitism, Canada’s oldest surviving synagogue, Congregation Emanu-El, was vandalized with vile graffiti accusing Jews of genocide and threatening revenge.
Victoria Police responded around 8:00 p.m. Saturday, documenting the scene and working with the city to swiftly remove the hate-filled messages scrawled across one of the synagogue’s front columns. Photos shared by the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver revealed a rant invoking age-old antisemitic blood libels and calling Jews “evil,” “child-killers,” and “monsters.”
Ezra Shanken, CEO of the federation, blasted the attack:
“This synagogue has been outspoken in supporting Palestinian care and progressive causes. That’s why this proves it’s not about politics — it’s about being Jewish. There’s nothing we can do that makes us not evil in the eyes of antisemitism.”
Shanken described the graffiti as a manifesto of hate and urged lawmakers to pursue criminal charges, warning that antisemitism must be treated with the same seriousness as any other targeted hate crime.
Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger condemned the act, declaring:
“Hate has no place in our province. Antisemitic hate speech and vandalism are crimes — and we will treat them as such.”
Premier David Eby echoed the outrage, posting:
“Antisemitism has no place in our communities — not now, not ever,” pledging full support to both the Jewish community and the police investigation.
Built in 1863 and designated a National Historic Site, Congregation Emanu-El has stood for over 160 years as a pillar of Canadian Jewish life.
The incident comes amid a surge in antisemitism across Canada since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Statistics Canada reports 920 police-recorded antisemitic hate crimes in 2024 — making Jews 25 times more likely than other Canadians to be targeted because of their faith. While slightly down from 2023’s record-high 959 incidents, the numbers remain far above the 2022 total of 527.
