Toronto (March 27, 2026) – Today, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice handed down a sentence of 20 years in the case of Matthew Althorpe, who pleaded guilty in October to three terrorism-related charges. In response, five Jewish organizations that provided community impact statements – Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, Alliance of Canadians Combatting Antisemitism (ALCCA), B’nai Brith Canada, the Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation, and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs – issued the following joint statement:

“Today’s sentencing sends a powerful message: those who spread hate, inflict violence, and terrorize communities will be held fully accountable under the law. This is especially critical in the wake of recent shootings at three Toronto-area synagogues and last week’s warning by the Integrated Threat Assessment Centre about the ‘realistic possibility’ of a violent extremist attack against the Jewish community, which reminds us that hate-motivated violence is a persistent and dangerous reality in Canada.”

“The threat posed by Mr. Althorpe was not only to the Jewish community. His hatred and violent extremism targeted all those who did not align with his grotesque ideology. His actions not only fueled neo-Nazi groups threatening Canadians, they were linked to at least six international terror attacks, including a shooting targeting the LGBTQ+ community in Slovakia and mass stabbing at a mosque in Türkiye.

“The severity of these threats must be a call to action for governments to do more to protect Canadians. This should include filling gaps in Canada’s anti-terror laws, addressing the sources of hate and radicalization, prioritizing enforcement to disrupt and dismantle terror networks, and boosting support for community security.”

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About the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center

Established in 1989, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) is one of Canada’s leading human rights organizations combatting antisemitism and all forms of hate. Through its extensive advocacy work and education programs teaching the lessons of the Holocaust and other genocides, FSWC promotes the principles of tolerance, social justice and democracy. Based in Toronto, FSWC is affiliated with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an international human rights organization headquartered in Los Angeles, which has an official NGO presence at the United Nations, UNESCO, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament.

About the Alliance of Canadians Combatting Antisemitism

The Alliance of Canadians Combatting Antisemitism (ALCCA) is a coalition of 55 community organizations that collaborate on a variety of initiatives to combat antisemitism and hate in Canada through advocacy, education, and respectful dialogue.

About B’nai Brith Canada
B’nai Brith Canada is the country’s oldest human rights organization. It is a principled grassroots voice dedicated to eradicating racism, antisemitism, and hatred in all its forms, championing the rights of the marginalized, while providing basic human needs for members of the community.

About the Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation

The Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation (CAEF) is focused on combatting antisemitism in Canada through education by providing webinars, speaking events and research to support and promote the Democratic values of freedom, justice, and truth.

About the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), the advocacy agent of Jewish Federations of Canada-UIA, represents vibrant Jewish communities across the country that contribute immensely to Canadian society, advocating for a brighter future for Jewish communities and all Canadians.

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