NEWMARKET, Ont. — A Newmarket restaurant owner convicted of threatening to “plant a bomb in every synagogue in Toronto and kill as many Jews as possible” was sentenced on July 28 to 60 days of house arrest, three years of probation and a 10-year weapons ban, Justice Edward Prutschi ruled in Ontario Court of Justice.
Akbari, 46, made the remarks on March 4, 2024, during an altercation at a local car dealership. He told a salesperson he would film and post the attacks to gain attention. Police found no evidence of any steps being taken to carry out the threats.
In his sentencing decision, Justice Prutschi stressed that while Akbari had not acted on his words, “hate-based threats are not just words. They are the gasoline upon which even more serious offenses burn.” He cited York Regional Police data showing that 71 percent of religiously motivated hate crimes in the region target Jews and Toronto Police statistics indicating that 40 percent of all reported hate crimes there are antisemitic.
The sentence includes mandatory antisemitism education, counselling for a gambling addiction, and a prohibition from entering any Jewish institution or community event. Akbari must also report to a conditional sentence supervisor and a probation officer.
Five victim impact statements were filed on behalf of the Jewish community by B’nai Brith Canada, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, the Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the Toronto Board of Rabbis, and the Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation. Jaime Kirzner-Roberts of the Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal Center decried the light sentence, warning that “without meaningful accountability, those who incite hate and violence against Jews will not be deterred.”
Jewish leaders echoed calls for tougher penalties. A spokesperson for CIJA said the sentence “falls short of conveying that threats to kill Jews and destroy their houses of worship will be met with the full force of the law.”
This article is based on verified information from The Canadian Jewish News, Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, York Regional Police, and Toronto Police Service.