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A Jewish human rights organization is speaking out on the dangers of online hatred following a recent Saskatoon arrest.
On Dec. 17, the Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) arrested 45-year-old Brandon Taylor Moore, charging him with public incitement of hatred and unsafe storage of a firearm.
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Before that Moore had caught the attention of B’nai Brith Canada. The organization, according to its director of research and advocacy, Richard Robertson, is constantly monitoring online for hatred and potential threats to the Jewish community.
Robertson said Moore raised concerns in part because he was routinely posting anti-Semitic content.
B’nai Brith notified the Saskatchewan Real Estate Commission of Moore’s online presence back in May 2024, leading the Commission to revoke his professional licence.
The commission confirmed that Moore’s registration to trade in real estate in Saskatchewan was terminated by his brokerage on May 23, 2024.
According to Robertson, the hope was that by filing the complaint, it would deter the accused from posting more of that type of content.
“However it seems to have only further emboldened Mr. Taylor Moore,” Robertson said, with the frequency and nature of his social media posts only intensifying.
“They contain denials of the Holocaust. They spread conspiracy theories about the Jewish community. They engage in the proliferation of blood libels. They contain imagery associated with the Nazi Party. They contain slogans such as, ‘make anti-Semitism great again,’ superimposed over a picture of Adolf Hitler,” he said.
“As a Jewish person, it’s gut-wrenching to have to see this type of hateful rhetoric being spread online.”
In addition to those posts, Moore’s “damning” online presence also extended to questioning “the existence of the residential school system in Canada and also whether or not there was a genocide against our First Nations people,” Robertson said.
At that point, B’nai Brith filed several complaints to SPS in 2024. An investigation was launched and Taylor Moore was identified by the Hate Crime Unit.
‘Relief’ over the arrest
Moore’s arrest comes less than a week after gunmen in Sydney, Australia killed at least 15 people and injured 38 during a Hanukkah celebration.
“The horrific terror attack in Sydney really underscores the need for action like what was taken by the Saskatoon police,” Robertson said.
“I think any rational person examining his social media accounts would have concerns for their safety, knowing that Mr. Taylor Moore lived in their city,” he said.
“I think that there’s a collective sigh of relief amongst the (Jewish) community knowing that Mr. Taylor Moore has been charged.”
Robertson said he’s hoping to see even more charges laid, including the wilful promotion of hatred, advocating genocide, and the wilful promotion of anti-Semitism.
For now, though, even as the mass shooting in Australia “irreparably marred” this year’s holiday season, Robertson said the Jewish community is incredibly resilient and will continue to celebrate.
Moore’s next court date is scheduled for Jan. 13.
— with files from The Canadian Press
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