Man arrested in connection with Israeli flags set alight in Toronto: police

Police have arrested a Toronto man in connection with an arson investigation after several Israeli flags were set on fire outside a church on Wednesday.

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Toronto Police said in a news release on Tuesday that Syed Raza, 29, was arrested and charged with arson, mischief under $5,000, mischief interfering with the lawful enjoyment of property, and disobeying a lawful order of court.

It added that on Oct. 7, at approximately 1:02 a.m., Raza attended the area of Sunrise Avenue and O’Connor Drive and removed Israeli flags that were placed in front of the Word of Faith International Christian Centre and set them alight.

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On Saturday, the accused was identified by investigators while at a demonstration in the area of Dundas Street East and Yonge Street at approximately 4:06 p.m.

He was scheduled to appear in court at the Toronto Regional Bail Centre on Oct. 11.

The incident came on the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage.

A police spokesperson previously confirmed to National Post that the incident was being investigated by the TPS Hate Crime Unit.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) and UJA Federation of Greater Toronto issued a joint statement on the day of the incident, calling it “disturbing.”

“Faith International Christian Centre has stood with the Jewish community and with Israel. To see that solidarity answered with fire is a disturbing reminder that hatred does not stop with Jews. Increasingly, those who stand beside us are being targeted too,” the statement read.

It went on to say that CIJA and UJA are “deeply grateful” for the “friendship and solidarity” from the Faith International Christian Centre, and called on leaders at every level of government to condemn the attack and “confront the extremism that is making intimidation and violence increasingly commonplace.”

“When simply standing with the Jewish community carries a cost — when allies are intimidated, threatened, or attacked because they refuse to turn away — this is no longer only a Jewish problem,” the two organizations said. “It is a threat to the kind of country we all want Canada to be.”

Meanwhile, mayoral candidate and city councillor Brad Bradford commented on the incident in North York on social media, describing it in a post on X as “an act of intimidation.”

“I’m thinking today of Jewish families across Toronto who have spent 3 years watching this kind of thing move closer to their homes, their schools and their synagogues, and who are tired of being told it’s being taken seriously while it keeps happening,” he wrote.

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