Toronto Police Chief said, during a city board meeting today, Thursday, that unprecedented tensions resulting from the war between Israel and Hamas have led to a "stunning" rise in hate crimes in Toronto.

Organization President Myron Demkiw said the number of hate crimes against Islam or anti-Palestinian and anti-Semitic hate crimes has increased significantly since October 7.

Demkiw also reported that 38 reports of anti-Semitic hate crimes and 17 reports of hate crimes against Muslims or Palestinians have been recorded since October 7. Both numbers represent a significant year-over-year increase.

Demkiw warned that "these concerning trends in our city, which prides itself on diversity, have not been seen before." "To address these troubling issues, we have allocated significant resources to tackle these global increases."

The 17 reported hate crimes against Islam or Palestinians between October 7 and November 20 represent a 1600% year-over-year increase, according to Demkiw.

Regarding reports of anti-Semitic hate crimes, there was a 192% increase compared to the same period, Demkiw said, rising from 13 to 38.

However, the Toronto Police Chief affirmed that anti-Semitism accounts for 40% of all reported hate crimes so far in 2023: 129 out of 323 in total.

Looking at these numbers, the police hate crimes unit was expanded from a six-person team to 32 individuals. Demkiw noted that since October 7, the unit has arrested 22 people and laid 58 charges.

Demkiw also pointed to a significant increase in hate-related graffiti since October 7. He said that 63 cases of anti-Islam or anti-Palestinian graffiti were reported between October 7 and November 20 this year, compared to two cases in 2022. 217 cases of anti-Semitic graffiti were reported during the same period, compared to 19 cases last year.

The officer said the number of hate crimes in the city is likely higher than the data shows, as some people may hesitate to report incidents.

Also, supervisor Catherine Stevenson from the Toronto Police Intelligence Unit told journalists after the meeting that responding to hate speech reports can be complicated.

Stevenson explained that the force consults with experts and other organizations, seeking evidence to support the claim that something constitutes hate speech. She said the police must present the case to the Attorney General and obtain approval before charging hate speech.

The last update on hate crime statistics in Toronto was provided by Demkiw on October 19, about two weeks after the war between Israel and Hamas began. At that time, he said reports of hate crimes had increased by 132%.

His update comes after a weekend during which a man was arrested in Toronto in connection with several hate-motivated assaults, including a Saturday morning attack on worshippers outside a mosque. A Jewish school closed its doors early on Friday due to a bomb threat.