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A 37-year-old Kingston resident faces a charge of public incitement of hatred over anonymous social media posts targeting Jewish and Muslim communities.
Police in Kingston, Ontario, have charged a 37-year-old local resident with public incitement of hatred in connection with anonymous social media posts that allegedly encouraged hatred and violence against religious communities. The comments were posted on Sept. 23 on an unspecified social media platform, Kingston Police said in a news release on Monday. The accused, who was not publicly identified, was held for a bail hearing.
Details of the Social Media Posts
According to the police release, the comments were posted anonymously and were directed at members of religious communities. The language used allegedly encouraged hatred and violence toward identifiable groups. A spokesperson for the Kingston Police Service told CTV News Ottawa that the comments targeted both Jewish and Muslim communities.
Kingston Police said they are in regular contact with affected communities. The force stated that public safety remains its priority and that it continuously assesses information and concerns brought forward by the community.
The charge of public incitement of hatred is a criminal offence in Canada. The accused was held for a bail hearing, and police have not released further details about the individual.
Police Chief Condemns Hate-Motivated Behaviour
Kingston Police Chief Adam MacIntosh condemned the alleged actions in Monday's release. He said that everyone deserves to feel safe in the community regardless of religion, ethnicity, culture, or background, and that statements promoting hatred or violence have no place there.
MacIntosh added that hate-motivated behaviour undermines the values of respect, inclusion, and dignity that strengthen the community and will not be tolerated. He stated that Kingston Police is committed to investigating allegations of hate-related offences and holding individuals accountable when criminal thresholds are met.
Recent Incidents Affecting Religious Communities
The arrest follows two recent high-profile incidents affecting religious communities in eastern Ontario. On Sept. 20, a gunman opened fire on the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, during observances of the Yom Kippur holiday. Const. Jeff Smith was critically wounded and returned fire. The accused gunman, 29-year-old Sean Ward, died of his injuries.
Belleville's police chief called the shooting a deliberate attack directed at members of the Jewish community during one of the holiest observances of the year.
Last week, police forces across Canada responded to anonymous emails targeting schools operated by the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC). The MAC said nine of its schools in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia received emails threatening to slaughter Muslims and make Canada Islam free.
Reporting Hate-Motivated Incidents
Kingston police are urging anyone who witnesses or experiences hate-motivated incidents, whether in person or online, to report them to police. The force emphasized the importance of reporting such incidents to help ensure community safety.
The investigation into the Kingston case is ongoing. Police have not released further information about the accused or the specific platform used for the posts.
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