The aftermath of an arson attack against a Jewish-owned delicatessen in Toronto: Photo: Screenshot

Toronto’s police chief on Thursday pledged that “no stone will be left unturned” in the bid to apprehend the individuals responsible for an antisemitic arson attack on a Jewish-owned delicatessen.

Firefighters were called to the premises of International Delicatessen Foods early on Wednesday morning in response to an emergency call. On arrival, they discovered smoke billowing from the grocery’s rear doors as well as smashed windows and graffiti declaring “Free Palestine.” The blaze was extinguished quickly with no injuries reported.

The store is not kosher and does not specialize in Israeli items, though it does sell some Israeli products. The owners are reported to be a Russian Jewish family. Local media outlets also pointed out that the stores’ initials — “IDF” — match those of the Israel Defense Forces.

Speaking at a Thursday morning press conference, Toronto police chief Myron Demkiw said there was no doubt that the attack was motivated by antisemitism.

“Make no mistake — it was a criminal act that was organized and has inflicted great harm in our communities and, in my view, was hate-motivated,” Demkiw said.

“It has the full attention of the Toronto Police Service and our hate crime unit is leading our investigation. No stone will be left unturned in this investigation as we seek to bring those responsible to justice,” he continued.

Earlier, Toronto’s Staff-Supt. Pauline Gray warned that the attack represented a “tipping point.”

“This is not graffiti on a bus shelter. This is not a lawful protest protected by a constitutional right. This is a criminal act,” Gray stated.

Local politicians condemned the attack. “This is a hate motivated attack on a Jewish owned business. Its links to the anti-Israel mob are confirmed with graffiti on the wall. This escalation of lawlessness in Toronto must come to an end,” James Pasternak, a councilor in the district, wrote on X/Twitter.

Antisemitism in Canada, including Toronto, has skyrocketed since the Oct. 7 Hamas pogrom in southern Israel, fueled by pro-Hamas demonstrations in several cities. Over the last week, supporters of Hamas have blockaded a single overpass overlooking the city’s Highway 401, many carrying placards comparing Zionism with Nazism.

One Canadian parliamentarian said that the overpass had been chosen only because of its location in a heavily Jewish neighborhood.

“There is no logic as to the choice of this location other than the large local Jewish population,” Liberal MP Anthony Housefather posted on social media. “This appears to me to be a refusal by the City of Toronto police to enforce existing laws.”