Many police forces in major Canadian cities vowed on Thursday to be on alert following a call for demonstrations by Hamas on Friday.
Specifically, Toronto police committed to increasing their patrols in the Queen City on Friday.
In a sign of tension in the metropolis, three men were arrested late Thursday evening after entering the grounds of the Toronto Hebrew Community Academy, a secondary school run by the Jewish community in North York.
After being asked to leave, the three men allegedly made threats against the Jewish community toward students at the school, police said, adding that they had launched a hate crime investigation.
In Vancouver, police will activate a special command center to dedicate more resources to protecting the Jewish community.
“We are providing increased police presence around houses of worship, community centers, schools and other key locations to reassure the community,” commented Police Chief Adam Palmer, noting, however, that Vancouver Police are not aware of any specific threats at this time.
In Montreal, police also patrolled sensitive areas and called on the population to report any hate crimes.
“My meetings with the leaders of Montreal’s Jewish and Muslim communities have reinforced their intention to express their opinions freely and respectfully, reflecting the image of an open and inclusive city like ours,” said SPVM head Fady Dagher.
Khaled Mashal, a Qatar-based Hamas leader, called for a “Day of Rage” around the world, stoking fears of possible riots.
Pro-Palestine marches are also planned for Friday, including in Montreal, where demonstrators are invited to the Guy-Concordia subway station from 5:30 p.m.