April 24, 2019
Dear Friends,
On behalf of B’nai Brith Canada, I would like to convey how shocked and disturbed we were to learn that police concluded Wednesday the recent attack at BerMax Caffé in Winnipeg, initially described as antisemitic, was staged.
If the allegations of Winnipeg police are true, we condemn this fabrication of a hate crime in the strongest possible terms. Making false allegations of antisemitism does nothing to quell the rise of racism and discrimination in Winnipeg and across Canada and will embolden the conspiracy theorists and purveyors of anti-Jewish hatred who blame the entirety of society’s ills on the Jewish community.
Moreover, it harms the efforts of human-rights organizations such as B’nai Brith Canada to combat instances of bigotry whenever it rears its head.
We have been seeing a revival of grassroots activism in Winnipeg. For example, thanks to the persistence and dedication of local community members, in addition to the work we’ve accomplished at B’nai Brith, there has been a strong campaign against Linda Sarsour’s upcoming visit, and the members of our community have been united in unprecedented fashion.
We must not let these charges from Winnipeg police deter us from fighting against instances of anti-Jewish hatred and discrimination in all its forms, which sadly has significant and negative repercussions for the members of our community.
Thank you, and Chag Pesach Sameach!
Ran Ukashi
National Director, The League for Human Rights
B’nai Brith Canada
