Phoenix-born Jeffrey Johnston was charged with mischief to property under $5000 for intentionally knocking over a menorah in front of the Yorkville Jewish Centre as he was walking by on April 10, according to the Toronto Police Service.
TPS released photographs of the man on Monday, appealing for public assistance in identifying him. X/Twitter OSINT account Leviathan shared with the Post that a man who appeared to be the suspect had been interviewed by Rebel News journalist David Menzies, who identified a possible name. The Post verified the spelling and name of the interview subject, who had shared the video on his social media. Johnston wore a similar jacket with badges, glasses, and earphones as in the security footage released by TPS.
“Investigators would like to thank the public for their assistance in this investigation,’ said TPS. “The accused was identified as a result of tips received from the public.”
Johnston’s X account is full of antisemitic images, Nazi imagery, and quotes from Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. In his street interview with Menzies, Johnston declared that the government in the US and Canada was controlled by Jews, said he was praying for the Iranian regime, that Jews controlled the media, and denied the Holocaust.
The suspect claimed that only 200,000 Jews died in the Holocaust, and that the concentration camps had hospitable conditions.
“Hitler’s very misunderstood. And another Hitler’s going to rise,” said Johnston. “The only people that Jews hate more than Jesus is Hitler.”
Rabbi Meir Dubrawsky said on Instagram on April 13 that he had chosen to leave the menorah outside the Jewish center as a symbol of Jewish pride and resilience.
“I knew, deep down, that there was a chance something like this could happen. I hoped it wouldn’t. But in the world we’re living in today, we can’t ignore that reality.”
Dubrawsky said that the center would build a bigger menorah and would not be intimidated. The rabbi also noted on April 17 that a woman walking by attempted to raise the menorah and succeeded, with the help of another passerby.
“This moment says everything,” wrote Dubrawsky. “The darkness doesn’t get the final word. The light does.”
