TORONTO โ Toronto Police Service has initiated a hate crime investigation into the communal art collective Art House Toronto after the group reposted inflammatory content on Instagram calling for the death of members of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
The post, which triggered the investigation, displayed a graphic of a skeleton wearing a military helmet adorned with the Israeli flag. The image accompanied the chant “Death, Death to the IDF,” a slogan used publicly by the British rap duo Bob Vylan during a June performance at the Glastonbury Festival. The graphic was originally shared by Instagram user @ryanazak on June 29 before being reshared by ArtHouseTO.
The art collectiveโs co-creator, Geoff Doner, acknowledged the offensive nature of the artwork and confirmed its removal, stating the post โwas another artistโs creative rendering of a chant heard at Glastonbury Festivalโ and that they โtook down the artwork as it was deemed offensive by some.โ However, ArtHouseTO has since reposted messages defending the controversial call, including content declaring the chant a โmorally required rallying cryโ against what they described as a โgenocidal army.โ
Jewish and pro-Israel organizations have condemned the posts, describing them as inflammatory hate speech intended to incite violence against the IDF, which consists of Jews, Druze, Bedouin, Arab Christians, and Muslims serving together to defend Israel. โCalls for the death of IDF soldiers cross from political speech into dangerous incitement,โ said a spokesperson for a Toronto-based Jewish advocacy group. โSuch rhetoric poses a serious threat to community safety and fuels antisemitism.โ
ArtHouseTO has also shared other posts critical of Zionism, including one depicting the Israeli flag being discarded alongside comparisons of Zionism to white supremacy, Nazism, and apartheid. These recurring posts have intensified concerns among the Jewish community in Toronto about the normalization of antisemitic expression and hate.
The Toronto Police Service has declined to comment on the investigation but confirmed that hate crime files are handled with sensitivity and thoroughness. The case is being closely watched by local Jewish groups who have called for vigilance against online and public expressions of hatred targeting Israel and its defenders.
This investigation marks part of a wider effort by Canadian law enforcement to address hate speech and antisemitism in the wake of heightened tensions related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
This article is based on verified information from Israel Now, direct statements from ArtHouseTO, Toronto Police Service briefings, and community advocacy sources.