Toronto Authorities Investigating Fire at Jewish-Owned Deli Sprayed With ‘Free Palestine’ Graffiti

A Toronto police vehicle is shown parked on Yonge Street in downtown Toronto on Jan. 3, 2023. The Canadian Press/Doug Ives

Toronto emergency service officials are investigating a fire at a Jewish-owned grocery store in North York which was also sprayed with “Free Palestine” graffiti.

Toronto Fire Services responded to a call on the morning of Jan. 3 at the International Delicatessen Foods at the corner of Steeles Avenue West and Petrolia Road.

“We arrived on scene, investigated, there was smoke coming from the rear of the building, our crews made entry, put the fire out,”  Toronto Fire Services Captain Dan Viera told The Epoch Times, adding there were no reports of injuries.

The fire official said investigators from the Ontario Fire Marshall, the fire department, and the Toronto Police Service (TPS) are on the scene to determine the cause, origin, and circumstances of the fire.

There is no timetable for determining the cause, said Capt. Viera, adding that the investigation will take as long as necessary.

The Epoch Times contacted TPS to discover if it’s investigating the event as a hate-motivated incident but has yet to hear back. The business also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It’s not clear if the “Free Palestine” graffiti was sprayed around the same time the fire started.

Jewish businesses have been targeted by protests and acts of violence since Israel retaliated against Hamas for its deadly Oct. 7 terrorist attack.

Toronto City Councillor James Pasternak, representing York Centre, said he is “shocked and appalled” by the incident at the deli and called it a “hate motivated attack on a Jewish owned business.”

“Its links to the anti Israel mob are confirmed with graffiti on the wall,” Mr. Pasternak wrote on the X platform. “This escalation of lawlessness in Toronto must come to an end.”

Jewish advocacy group Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs reacted similarly on X, saying “Another day, another Jewish-owned business targeted by anti-Israel protesters.”

“This is unacceptable, and we cannot allow this kind of violent intimidation to continue. And for the record, IDF here stands for International Delicatessen Food...” said the group, noting the business has the same acronym as the Israeli Defense Forces.

Federal politicians also commented, with Tory MP Melissa Lantsman asking “When is it enough?” Ms. Lantsman, who is Jewish, represents the Thornhill riding, with its southern boundary at Steeles Avenue West immediately north of the deli.

Pro-Palestine and anti-Israel activists have been very active in Toronto, protesting in front of Jewish-owned businesses or blocking car traffic.

Serious acts of violence have been more common in Montreal, with several Jewish institutions targeted by gunshots and firebombs, including schools.

Meanwhile, an Ottawa youth was arrested and charged on Dec. 15 by the RCMP for allegedly plotting a terrorist attack against the Jewish community.