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“Two of us were wearing kippah’s and two fedoras (Hasidic Jewish hats),” said one of the victims. “I guess we stood out. We should not be beaten up because we are Jewish.”

Toronto Police are rightly investigating this as a “hate crime and a robbery.” They already have one suspect in custody and are looking for nine more they describe as “young” people.

“Toronto Police will not tolerate violence and harassment against anyone,” tweeted Chief Mark Saunders. “Help us find the young people responsible for the attack against a group of teens from the Jewish community.”

Saunders and investigators are encouraging people to drop a dime to Crime Stoppers to arrest these alleged racists.

“Four 17-year-old boys were walking in the area, all of whom were wearing attire of their religious faith,” said a Toronto Police release. “As they passed another group of young persons, who were unknown to them, derogatory comments were made about their religion. The unknown group then assaulted two of the 17-year-old boys, punching and kicking them.”

Jewish teenagers punched in the face and kicked by assailants continuously referencing “Hitler” is not something I have ever covered before in my 27 years of chronicling crime in Toronto.

Swastika graffiti, yes. Anti-Semitic vandalism, yes. Anti-Jewish smears, many times.

But a swarm of up to 20 teenage boys allegedly attacking four Orthodox Jewish youths on their way to Yeshiva night school to study the Torah is not something I’ve ever seen.

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“It’s just vile,” said Michael Mostyn, B’nai Brith Canada’s chief executive officer. “It’s terrifying that Orthodox Jewish teens would face something has horrific as being beaten and harassed with anti-Semitic slurs. It’s just not right.”

He was heartened to hear police were treating as a hate crime because “something like this has to be curbed” before it becomes an issue.

“We have seen a rise in anti-Semitic (acts) in Toronto but actual violence is unusual,” said Mostyn.

But this is a reminder of just how quickly this kind of evil can be re-introduced.