PRAGUE (AP) — Antisemitic incidents in the Czech Republic reached record levels last year amid the conflict in Gaza, the country’s Jewish community said on Friday.
In its annual report, the Federation of the Jewish Communities said it registered 4,694 antisemitic incidents in 2024, almost 8.5% up from 4,328 in the previous year. In 2023, the reports jumped by 90% following the deadly Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, an assault that triggered the war in Gaza.
Petr Papousek, head of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Czech Republic, said that his country was no exception to “a global explosive wave of antisemitism which erupted immediately after the Hamas attack.”
Papousek said that hatred of Jews especially in the form of demonization of the state of Israel, has become a socially acceptable attitude and has dominated the public space. He said the attacks showed “an unprecedented synergy” between the far right, the far left, Islamism and the disinformation media.
“The unifying element is hatred of Israel, which works with the motives, narratives, conspiracies and myths of traditional antisemitism,” he said.
Most incidents, almost 96%, were expressed online, mostly through social media, it said.
But a record of four cases of physical attacks were registered in last year compared to none in 2023. All of them were linked to the Middle East conflict. Twelve cases of desecration of Jewish cemeteries, monuments and damage of other objects were reported, double the number from the previous year.
In one case, five teenagers were detained after an attempted arson attack against a synagogue in January 2024 in the second largest Czech city of Brno. Police said they were radicalized online by the militant Islamic State group and charged two of them with terror-related crimes.
Despite the rise in antisemitic incidents, the report concluded the Czech Republic, or Czechia, remains a safe country for Jews.
FILE - Protesters attend an rally supporting Palestinian people in Prague, Czech Republic, on Oct. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, File)
TORONTO (AP) — Schools were closed in Canada's largest city of Toronto and commuters faced severe delays on Thursday as heavy snow continued to hammer much of southern Ontario, blocking streets and forcing cars into ditches.
Environment Canada said regions including the Greater Toronto Area, Kitchener and Hamilton are expected to see up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) of snow into Thursday afternoon.
Toronto, York, Peel and Halton Region schools closed Thursday morning, and institutions including the University of Toronto, Toronto Metropolitan University and York University announced their campuses were closed.
Complete school closures due to snow are rare in Toronto.
Environment Canada said the Ottawa area will see up to 25 centimeters (10 inches) of snow, tapering off Thursday evening. It added that northerly wind gusts of up to 60 kilometers (37 milies) per hour will result in blowing snow and reduced visibility, and a sharp temperature drop will cause very cold wind chills.
Provincial police advised residents to stay off the roads if possible, and officers responded to dozens of collisions and cars in ditches. Police said there were multiple road closures across southern Ontario, including ramps at the Highway 403 near the Burlington and Hamilton border and parts of Highway 401 in eastern Ontario.
Both Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow cancelled public events Thursday due to the inclement weather.
At Toronto’s Pearson airport, officials said air traffic management procedures were in place and impacting some arriving and departing flights.
Travellers were advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport, where snow clearing operations were underway.
Pedestrians cross Bay Street along Front Street amid heavy snowfall and accumulation as snow and heavy winds continue to hammer the Greater Toronto Area, in Toronto, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Giordano Ciampini /The Canadian Press via AP)
Pedestrians, obscured by snow thrown by workers cleaning a work site overhead, cross Adelaide Street along Yonge Street amid heavy snowfall and accumulation as snow and heavy winds continue to hammer the Greater Toronto Area, in Toronto, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Giordano Ciampini /The Canadian Press via AP)
Pedestrians cross Adelaide Street along Yonge Street amid heavy snowfall and accumulation as snow and heavy winds continue to hammer the Greater Toronto Area, in Toronto, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Giordano Ciampini /The Canadian Press via AP)
A cargo cyclist rides along Adelaide Street East amid heavy snowfall and accumulation as snow and heavy winds continue to hammer the Greater Toronto Area, in Toronto, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Giordano Ciampini /The Canadian Press via AP)
Commuters make their way to their destinations on King Street East amid heavy snowfall and accumulation as snow and heavy winds continue to hammer the Greater Toronto Area, in Toronto, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Giordano Ciampini /The Canadian Press via AP)
