B’nai Brith Canada calls for armed security to be present at all Jewish institutions
Additionally, B'nai Brith is pressing governments to allocate dedicated funding for law enforcement resources to ensure a continuous police presence at every Jewish institution across the country.
B'nai Brith Canada has called for legislative changes allowing Jewish institutions to employ armed, qualified security personnel, alongside increased allocation of law enforcement resources, in order to ensure adequate police presence at all Jewish locations across Canada. This demand arose following a Yom Kippur incident where a gunman exchanged gunfire with a police officer outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, seriously injuring the officer.
The organization characterized the event as an attempted mass killing targeting worshippers observing the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. B'nai Brith Canada's Chief Executive Officer, Simon Wolle, argued in a recent interview with CTV News that the Jewish community can no longer rely on authorities to secure vulnerable locations.
Wolle emphasized that the government must take action to protect vulnerable areas. The advocacy group's proposals include permitting synagogues and community centers to hire armed security guards, as most Jewish institutions currently lack the same level of protection afforded by dedicated law enforcement presence. Additionally, B'nai Brith is urging governments to allocate dedicated funding to ensure a continuous police presence at every Jewish institution throughout the country.
Wolle stressed to CTV News that the financial and operational responsibility of protecting communal infrastructure should not be placed on the community itself, stating, "It is a basic function of government to protect its citizens."
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