Police in Kingston, Ont., say a local resident is facing charges in connection with social media posts alleged to be encouraging hatred and violence. The comments were made on Sept. 23 on an unspecified social media platform, police said in a news release on Monday. “The comments were posted anonymously, and directed at members of religious communities and contained language that is alleged to encourage hatred and violence toward identifiable groups,” the release said. A spokesperson for the Kingston Police Service told CTV News Ottawa that the comments were directed at both Jewish and Muslim communities. “Kingston Police is in regular contact with affected communities. Public safety remains our priority, and we continuously assess information and concerns brought forward by the community,” police said. A 37-year-old resident of Kingston has been charged with public incitement of hatred and was held for a bail hearing. The individual was not publicly identified. “Everyone deserves to feel safe in our community regardless of their religion, ethnicity, culture, or background. Statements that promote hatred or violence against others have no place in our community,” said Kingston Police Chief Adam MacIntosh in Monday’s release. “Hate-motivated behaviour undermines the values of respect, inclusion, and dignity that strengthen our community and will not be tolerated. Kingston Police is committed to investigating allegations of hate-related offences and holding individuals accountable when criminal thresholds are met.” The arrest comes after 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, Ont., during observances of the Yom Kippur holiday, critically wounding Const. Jeff Smith, who 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 B.C. received emails threatening to “slaughter” Muslims and make Canada “Islam free.” Kingston police say anyone who witnesses or experiences hate-motivated incidents, whether in person or online, should report them to police.
