Jewish institutions in Hamilton among those targeted by coordinated bomb threats

Hundreds of Jewish institutions across Canada are on alert after a highly coordinated email campaign targeted them with bomb threats.

B’nai B’rith, a Jewish non-profit, says hundreds of emails were sent to hospitals, synagogues and other Jewish-run organizations around 5 a.m. Wednesday, with a message that warned of an impending backpack-bomb attack.

In Hamilton, that same threat reached four different sites across the region, which police say they attended and cleared, deeming each location safe.

I’m disgusted at reports that more than 100 Jewish institutions across Canada were targeted by threats today. This is blatant antisemitism.

The RCMP is in contact with local law enforcement to investigate, and we’re working with them to keep Jewish Canadians safe.

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) August 21, 2024

“For the last 10 months, what we’ve been experiencing as a community is challenging, it’s stressful, it’s really concerning,” Gustavo Rymberg, CEO of the Hamilton Jewish Federation, said.

“We have to be strong, we have to be united, not only the Jewish community, but all of our allies, our friends, as a city, we have to protect each other and make sure we’re all doing good.”

“These kinds of threats cause fear in the community, and we will be working closely with our policing partners to investigate their origin,” Hamilton police said in a statement, adding that it would continue to maintain an increased presence at the faith-based institutions.