Toronto police have apprehended a 29-year-old individual in connection with an incident that occurred earlier this month involving the burning of hundreds of Israeli flags near a North York church. According to a police statement, the suspect removed the flags from the Word of Faith International Christian Centre around 1 a.m. on October 7, 2026, coinciding with the third anniversary of the Hamas-led attack on Israel. He proceeded to set the flags ablaze before leaving the scene.
The authorities identified the alleged perpetrator three days after the incident while he was participating in a demonstration in downtown Toronto. The individual now faces several charges, including arson and mischief under $5000.
Following the incident, the Word of Faith International Christian Centre, situated near Sunrise Avenue and O’Connor Drive, replaced the burned flags with 1200 new Israeli flags as a symbolic gesture of solidarity with Israel and the Jewish community, as stated by the church’s pastor, John Ward.
The arson attack prompted widespread condemnation from politicians and representatives of the Jewish community. A spokesperson from the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto described the incident as “horrific,” while mayoral candidate Brad Bradford characterized it as “an act of intimidation.”
