Hate crimes in Toronto continue to rise.

The Toronto Police, in its annual statistical report,  released last week, notes that in 2017, there was an increase in the total number of hate crime occurrences reported to the service.

The report said that in comparison to 2016, the number of reported occurrences [in 2017] increased from 145 to 186, representing a difference of approximately 28 per cent.

Most frequently victimized in 2017 were the Jewish community (53 occurrences) followed by the Black community (33 occurrences), the Muslim community ( 33 occurrence) and the Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community (22 occurrences).

Mischief to property, assault, and threats were the three most reported criminal offences motivated by hate in 2017, the report said, and as in past years, these kinds of offences occurred in a variety of different locations including private dwellings, public park/streets, and schools and on public transportation

The number of arrests related to hate crimes in 2017 increased from 19 persons in 2016 to 23 persons in 2017.

Commenting on hate crimes targeted  at the Black community, Kenneth Jeffers, the lone Black  member of the Toronto Police Services Board, said it  is indeed tragic that hate and violence have almost become normalized in the global community of people of African descent, particularly in urban centres such as Toronto.”

” For some of us  who have dedicated  a great part of our lives protesting, communicating our  pain and anger, juxtaposed  with love for our proud history, proud defiance but always love for our community, the repetition of  our sad predicament could be unbearable,” Jeffers, a longtime community proactivist, told the Caribbean Camera..

He said that “it continues to be  mind boggling to me that we literally allow this to occur time and time again,

“In my view and experience, the investment in comprehensive programs and activities  for prevention  are token, to say the least.”

He noted that the  Police Services Board is initiating partnerships with the City and community mental health agencies to address growing and overwhelming issues among those affected.

“Yet they are unable to partner with African Canadian agencies to deal with one of the most challenging communities in Toronto and Canada, the African Canadian community.”

“Where are the voices and demands for a radical and appropriate approach to funding African Canadian community agencies?” he asked.

  Hate Crimes, Jeffers, TORONTO