A deeply concerning situation at Toronto’s Ontario College of Art & Design University (OCAD) underscores the pressing need forto adopt more robust measures to ensure the safety and well-being of Jewish students.

According to CTVNews, a Jewish student at the college named reported feeling unsafe returning to class after discovering antisemitic messages, including death threats, scrawled on the walls of the school's "yellow staircase" — a space intended for students to freely express themselves. The graffiti not only targeted Samantha personally but also contained hateful messages against Jews. This incident has left Samantha profoundly impacted, expressing that she had "never felt so sad in her life."

The student, Samantha, previously served as the president of the university’s Jewish Club, attempted to counteract the hate by painting words of peace over the offensive messages. Unfortunately, her efforts were met with further antagonism, including direct death threats and highly offensive remarks. It is alarming that such hostility and threats escalated to this level within an educational setting.

The response from the university, while prompt in removing the graffiti and cooperating with the Toronto police investigation, is inadequate. Samantha reported a lack of sufficient follow-up from the school, which has led her to miss over two weeks of classes due to safety concerns. This situation highlights a significant gap in the support and protection provided to Jewish students facing targeted harassment and threats.

This incident is not isolated. Hillel Ontario, an organization promoting Jewish student life, has noted a disturbing trend of antisemitism across Ontario campuses, where Jewish students are increasingly singled out and demonized. The latest hate crime data released by the Toronto police further emphasizes the gravity of this issue, revealing that in 2023, at least 37% of the 353 reported hate crimes were antisemitic, the highest rate of hate-motivated offences against any group in the city.

OCAD's statement sought to express a stance against discrimination and antisemitism, however, this incident signals an urgent need for to reassess and strengthen mechanisms for preventing such acts of hate, providing immediate and comprehensive support to victims, and fostering an environment where all students feel safe and valued.

More stringent security measures must be implemented. There is a call for enhancing response protocols to incidents of hate and discrimination, and for creating more effective channels for students to report and receive support in the face of such threats. Commitment to inclusivity and safety must be unwavering, ensuring that every student can pursue their education without fear.