WARMINGTON: Peel, York, Toronto Police let public know they are monitoring Israel-Iran war

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On this Friday the 13th coming after major preemptive military strikes by Israel in Iran, GTA police services are taking no chances.

Toronto, Peel and York police stepped up with messages to the public and have deployed strategies to respond just in case they are needed. Everybody is hoping they will not be. But with the possibility of World War III on the horizon, they have done their due diligence to make sure their citizens are safe.

“We are in contact with our partners as we monitor the situation in the Middle East,” said an X post from Toronto Police. “We continue to have an increased presence around places of worship and consular offices to ensure community safety.”

Peel Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich told the Toronto Sun they have “reached out to faith leaders, elevated patrols and are working on divisional mobilization to make sure people feel comfortable.”

It’s the right move. Get out ahead of it, just in case it rears its ugly head.

Hopefully, it doesn’t happen. But it’s good to be prepared, and prepared Toronto, York and Peel police are. Certainly, with senior Iranian military and political figures reported to have been taken out permanently by Israeli precision attacks, Toronto and the GTA have to be on high alert after 21 months of antisemitic violence, protest and vandalism here.

Jewish schools, synagogues, businesses and the consulate have faced attacks or protests. And with the Iranian regime sending out tweets depicting Jews as a rat, it offers concern of potential provocation.

“We continue to have an increased police presence around places of worship and consular offices to ensure community safety,” said the Toronto Police message.

It’s a tricky time for police in that they don’t want to be commenting on the conflict itself, but with history as an indicator, they understand the reality of what that conflict could mean for local streets.

This is being handled well.

And it didn’t take long for Toronto Police to have to deal with their first protest situation following the overnight bombing. Police say about 200 demonstrators took over the lobby of Scotiabank’s headquarters on King Street West to protest investment in Israel military weapons systems.

Meanwhile, as Canada gets ready to host the G7 summit in Alberta, all eyes are on Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government and its response to the overnight bombing of Tehran and of Iranian’s nuclear programs.

Carney, as of this publication, had not updated his X account since tweeting about the Edmonton Oilers big comeback win in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, but his foreign minister, Anita Anand, did.

“Canada is closely following the escalation of tensions between Israel and Iran,” she wrote on X Friday morning. “Further action risks triggering a broader regional conflict with devastating consequences. De-escalation must be the priority.”

Like she and the Liberal government have done in previous communications, it is another example of Canada appearing to treat both sides as equal combatants. While Israel is Canada’s ally and Hamas and the Iranian dictatorship are widely denounced as being terror threats, there seems to be a tone from the Canadian government of trying to sit in the middle.

“We urge all parties to refrain from actions that further destabilize the region. The protection of civilians must be paramount,” Anand wrote.

Meanwhile, Pierre Poilievre of the Conservative Party is steadfast in his support of Israel.

“We should all hope that this is the end of the regime’s nuclear program and that the great Persian people can now rise up and reclaim their country from the totalitarian regime,” tweeted Poilievre.

It’s such a stark contrast between approaches of the government and the opposition.

Short of denouncing the Iranian regime or their antisemitic messaging, Anand did, however, write, “Canada remains deeply concerned by the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile program. Importantly, Canadians in the region are advised to exercise a very high degree of caution, monitor developments closely, and follow the advice of local authorities.”

It’s a dangerous place for both Canadians and Americans to be right now.

But back here on home soil, police are aware of that danger, understand that they are the front lines in Canadian cities and towns, and have taken the prudent action to ensure people in their municipalities feel safe and are protected.

jwarmington@postmedia.com