A 32-year-old Toronto man has been charged over an alleged eight-month antisemitic hate crime spree that included incidents at five synagogues and a Jewish community centre.
Amir Arvahi Azar faces 29 criminal counts, among them advocating the genocide of Jews, inciting hatred and starting fires and damaging windows at Jewish community institutions.
The North York resident caused fire damage to signs at four synagogues and damaged the window at a fifth, court documents obtained by Global News allege.
He also threatened the Forest Hill Jewish Centre in a voicemail message, and caused extensive damage to a Jewish-owned Toronto coffee shop, according to the list of charges.
The incidents allegedly occurred between April 26, 2024 and Jan. 3, 2025. Azar was arrested on Jan. 11 and has been released on bail. He appeared in court on Monday.
“We know that these charges are very serious and that people are concerned,” Deputy Chief Rob Johnson of the Toronto Police Service said in a video statement.
Police declined to give further details about Azar due to a publication ban.
The arrest came amid a steep spike in antisemitic incidents across Canada in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the military response in Gaza.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said it was encouraged by the arrest, which it said showed authorities were “taking action to hold individuals accountable for alleged hate-motivated crimes.”
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“In a time of rising antisemitism and hate, it is essential that authorities demonstrate zero tolerance for those who cross the line into criminal conduct,” said Michelle Stock, CIJA’s Ontario vice president.
Nineteen of the charges are for hate crimes while the other ten concern the possession of restricted firearms, criminal proceeds and other illegal items.
Advocating genocide and inciting hatred prosecutions are rare in Canada, and require the consent of the Ministry of the Attorney General.
Those charges allegedly stem from posts Azar made on social media on Aug. 26.
Azar’s alleged other crimes allegedly occurred mainly in a Toronto’s North York, home to a large Jewish population.
They began on April 26, 2024 when he allegedly set fire to a sign near an apartment complex. Two days later, he allegedly set fire to a sign at Beth Tikvah Synagogue.
After threatening Forest Hill Jewish Centre staff on June 3, he damaged a widow at the Pride of Israel synagogue on June 30, police alleged in the charges.
That same night, Azar also allegedly damaged the widow at the Kehillat Shaarei Torah Synagogue, and then returned on July 31 to set fire to a sign.
Also on July 31, he set fire to a sign at the Temple Sinai, and on Aug. 3 he did the same at the Tiferet Israel Congregation, according to the charges.
The Friends of Jesus Christ Church was his next alleged target. On Aug. 19, he allegedly damaged a window at the church, which says its membership is predominantly Filipino.
The final Jewish institution he allegedly damaged was Café Landwer, a Toronto coffee shop that has been targeted by pro-Palestinian protesters.
On Dec. 20, Azar alleged damaged a window at the Jewish-owned business, causing more than $5,000 in damage. He allegedly threatened a victim on Jan. 3.
Aside from the hate charges, Azar has been charged with possession of three loaded handguns that were either prohibited or restricted, a machine used to forge credit cards and more than $5,000 in criminal proceeds.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service has warned that extremist attacks targeting Canada’s Jewish community are a “realistic possibility.”
“We continue to observe incidents of criminal intimidation, harassment and hate speech targeting Jewish communities in Canada,” said a CSIS document obtained last year by Global News.
“They are indicators of escalating antisemitic activity.”
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Suspect charged with hate crimes spree that included attacks at 5 Toronto synagogues
