TORONTO — Conflicting accounts from Toronto’s mayor and police leadership have triggered renewed scrutiny over how antisemitic hate crimes are handled in Canada’s largest city, amid ongoing weekly demonstrations in predominantly Jewish neighbourhoods and a sharp rise in reported antisemitism.
The controversy stems from reporting by the Toronto Sun and Rebel News, which cited remarks by Mayor Olivia Chow suggesting that Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw told her that internal legal advice had discouraged officers from laying hate crime charges during pro-Hamas protests. According to that reporting, the advice allegedly came from a senior lawyer at police headquarters who believed securing convictions would be difficult.
Chief Demkiw has publicly denied making such a statement to the mayor. The Toronto Police Service has not provided a detailed public explanation clarifying whether internal legal guidance has influenced charging decisions related to antisemitic incidents.
The dispute has left a troubling question unresolved: whether police discretion in hate-crime enforcement is being constrained by legal risk assessments rather than by the Criminal Code.
Under Canadian law, police are tasked with laying charges when they believe an offence has occurred. The decision to prosecute, withdraw, or pursue a conviction rests with Crown attorneys. Legal experts note that while police services often consult legal counsel on complex matters, such advice is not intended to replace frontline enforcement of the law.
Community leaders say the current ambiguity is contributing to a loss of confidence at a time when Jewish residents report feeling increasingly unsafe.
For more than two years, masked demonstrators have marched repeatedly through Jewish areas of Toronto, chanting slogans widely viewed by Jewish organizations as incitement to violence. Protesters have displayed swastikas, glorified Hamas, blocked intersections, and targeted Jewish institutions. While arrests have been made for minor offences, critics note that hate-crime charges have been rare.
Statistics Canada and police-reported data show antisemitic incidents in Canada have risen sharply since October 2023, with Toronto among the most affected cities. Jewish schools, synagogues, and community centres have faced threats, vandalism, and intimidation.
Against that backdrop, the suggestion that hate-crime charges are being avoided because of anticipated courtroom challenges has alarmed Jewish advocacy groups.
“This is not about winning or losing a case,” one community advocate said. “It is about equal application of the law and sending a clear signal that targeting Jews will not be tolerated.”
Rebel News identified Falguni Debnath as the lawyer allegedly referenced in the reporting. Debnath serves as general counsel and as chief counsel for the Toronto Police Service. Her publicly available biography notes extensive experience as a litigator, including work with the Ontario Court of Appeal, the federal Department of Justice, and the United Nations.
Neither Debnath nor the Toronto Police Service has responded publicly to detailed questions submitted by multiple media outlets regarding her role, if any, in advising against hate-crime charges. Mayor Chow’s office has also not issued a clarification reconciling her account with the chief’s denial.
Legal scholars caution against drawing conclusions without confirmed evidence but acknowledge that transparency is critical when public trust is at stake.
“When senior officials provide contradictory accounts, the public deserves a clear explanation,” said one former prosecutor familiar with police-Crown relations. “Otherwise, confidence in the system erodes.”
Jewish organizations argue that the issue goes beyond internal disagreements and reflects a broader failure of political leadership to confront antisemitism decisively.
They point to inconsistent messaging from elected officials, reluctance to define antisemitism when it appears under ideological cover, and uneven enforcement of existing laws. In their view, this environment leaves police services exposed to criticism from all sides and places Jewish communities at continued risk.
The Toronto Police Service has repeatedly stated that it enforces the law impartially and evaluates each incident based on evidence and legal thresholds. In previous statements, Chief Demkiw has emphasized the importance of balancing public order, Charter rights, and community safety.
However, Jewish leaders say that balance cannot come at the expense of enforcement.
“Hate crimes are not theoretical,” one advocate said. “They are lived experiences for the people being targeted week after week.”
As of publication, no formal investigation has been announced into the conflicting claims. Community organizations are calling on both the mayor and the police chief to address the issue directly and publicly.
For Toronto’s Jewish community, the stakes are clear. Transparency, accountability, and consistent enforcement are seen not as political issues, but as prerequisites for safety.
“This is about restoring trust,” one community leader said. “And trust starts with telling the truth.”
The claims originate from Rebel News, citing reporting by Toronto Sun columnist Joe Warmington, and remain unproven. The Toronto Police Service, Mayor Olivia Chow’s office, and named officials have not responded publicly to detailed questions as of the time of publication. Community leaders continue to stress that transparency and equal enforcement of the law are important to restoring confidence and ensuring the safety of the Jewish community.
