The so-called "Hank Effect" has taken hold at the Toronto Police Service (TPS), prompting its civilian oversight board to demand answers about allegations of antisemitism within the force. This comes as investigators lay additional charges in connection with an alleged antisemitic attack at an off-campus university event.
Toronto Police Services Board Chair Shelley Carroll has vowed to investigate claims of Jewish hatred among senior ranks, as detailed in retired Homicide Inspector Hank Idsinga's new book. Earlier this week, TPS dismissed Idsinga as a traitor seeking to sell books, but now the entire system is under review.
"Let me be clear: I have a zero-tolerance approach to antisemitism," Carroll told the Toronto Sun. "That applies in our communities and within our institutions, including the Toronto Police Service."
Carroll confirmed a letter she wrote to a constituent, posted on social media, is accurate. She stated she will engage directly with Chief Myron Demkiw, Service leadership, members across the organization, stakeholders from the Jewish community, and the Board's own Jewish Community Advisory Table.
Both the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) and B'nai Brith Canada expressed optimism after Carroll's announcement, calling for an independent, third-party review.
Idsinga, a 34-year veteran whose grandfather Arthur Jacobs was Jewish and perished in the Holocaust in 1942, described anti-Jewish hate from a senior officer, anti-Black racism, bigotry toward the LGBTQ+ community, and prejudice against those with mental health issues.
Demkiw has said he takes the claims seriously, and Carroll has taken it further. "The allegations raised go directly to questions of integrity, culture, and leadership within the Service and they demand careful, credible, and sustained attention," she wrote.
On Friday, TPS announced new charges related to a November 2025 incident near Toronto Metropolitan University, where protesters allegedly entered a private event without permission, forced entry, damaged property, and caused attendees to fear for their safety. One individual sustained injuries from broken glass.
Additional charges were laid against four previously arrested individuals, including Qabil Ibrahim, 26, of Toronto, who faces charges of taking part in a riot while masked. Fatimah Mugni, 23, of Toronto, Nicole Baiton, 25, of Oakville, and Kiana Alexis, 22, of Toronto, face charges of being in an unlawful assembly while masked. Two were charged with public incitement of hatred targeting members of the Israeli community.
"It's definitely the Hank effect," said former Toronto police officer and media crime specialist Ross McLean. "The tide has turned and police are now at least talking about antisemitism both externally and internally."
The TPS culture will be reviewed thanks to Idsinga, who shed light on allegedly dark internal issues.
