Episode Details

Jewish residents and organizations in Vancouver say a relentless anti-Israel campaign of “chalking”—writing hateful slogans with sidewalk chalk in public, accompanied by and waving a large Palestinian flag outside a hospital in their neighbourhood—has reshaped daily life in Vancouver’s historically Jewish neighbourhood.

For over two years, anti-Israel graffiti and stickers have appeared daily on sidewalks, bus stops, street signs and other public spaces along the Oak Street corridor, near major synagogues, in the Douglas Park area.

Two Jewish residents of this neighbourhood began documenting the messages by the lone perpetrator, whose identity they know. They’ve amassed proof of at least 2,000 incidents and have asked him to stop.

The duo have had real late-night runs-in with the activist, who they say lives and works near them, and who has, on social media, described his devotion to the Palestinian cause as living in “the belly of the beast”—a popular term in anti-Israel circles describing carrying out activism from within areas that support Israel and Western values.

The two Jewish men bought cleaning gear to wash the tags away, if the rain doesn’t do it first. But it’s become a war of attrition.

Vancouver police say they take hate speech and harassment seriously, but the one-man protest has not abated.

On today’s episode of The CJN’s North Star podcast, we’re joined by the two Jewish residents who are fighting back, Joshua and Steven, who have asked that their family names not be published for safety reasons.

Related links

• British Columbia passed legislation on April 16 to establish safe “bubble zones” for synagogues, places of worship in order to curb harassing protests, in The CJN .
• Vancouver police arrested Samidoun’s Canadian leader Charlotte Kates after she was accused of making hateful comments during an anti-Israel protest in 2024, in The CJN .
• Why a recently-elected city councillor in Vancouver has an anti-Israel problem, in The CJN.

Credits

• Host and writer: Ellin Bessner ( @ebessner )
• Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Izzie Helenchilde (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer), Alicia Richler (editorial director)
• Music: Bret Higgins

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