A Jewish woman from Toronto was harassed and filmed by anti-Israel demonstrators as she passed near the Israeli Consulate in the city, according to a video that circulated widely on social media in recent days.
The video, first shared by Canadian journalist Dahlia Kurtz, shows the woman visibly distraught and in tears inside the restroom of a restaurant near the Yonge and Bloor intersection, where a violent pro-Palestinian protest was taking place.
Kurtz wrote in her post accompanying the footage: “A Toronto woman hides in a bathroom to escape a mob chasing her - simply because she’s Jewish. Even the restroom was defaced with antisemitic symbols. The message from Canada is to leave, and the message from the mob - to die.”
“It hurts so much, especially after what happened today in Manchester,” the woman says in the video, referring to the deadly terror attack that took place that same day at a synagogue in Britain. “It’s painful not to feel safe in this city. I was crying on the side, away from them, and then a woman started filming me and laughing. So I went into the restroom to calm down. But even here, there’s no peace.”
Her emotional words resonated widely, capturing the fear felt by many Jews in Canada since Hamas’ murderous terror assault on October 7th.
Toronto Police confirmed they are aware of incidents of harassment connected to anti-Israel demonstrations and stated that they continue to monitor gatherings near diplomatic buildings.
Jewish community leaders have called on authorities to increase police presence and protection for Jewish residents. “This woman’s story is heartbreaking, but sadly not unusual,” said a local activist. “Jews in Canada are facing unprecedented levels of hostility in public spaces.”
Jewish organizations say the incident reflects a broader surge in antisemitic activity in Canada and around the world since the start of the war. According to recent data, Canada ranks among the countries with the highest per capita rates of antisemitism outside Europe.