In this opinion column, Michael Higgins argues that major Canadian news organisations, including the CBC and The Canadian Press, failed to fully report the circumstances surrounding the repeated tearing down of posters for a missing 14-year-old Jewish girl in Toronto.

The author claims that while the vandalism itself was widely reported as disturbing, media coverage omitted or downplayed the possibility that antisemitism may have been a motivating factor.

Higgins points to statements from the girl’s family and a spokesperson suggesting that antisemitism was a concern, as well as coverage from other outlets such as CP24 and The New York Post, which reportedly referenced fears of antisemitic motivations.

He contrasts this with CBC and CP reporting, which he argues used more neutral phrasing such as “motivations behind these actions” without explicitly mentioning antisemitism or the girl’s Jewish identity.

The column further argues that omitting this context reflects a broader reluctance in mainstream journalism to identify antisemitism when it may be relevant, especially in the aftermath of increased concerns about hate incidents following October 7-related tensions.

Higgins invokes journalism fundamentals, suggesting that reporters should ask deeper questions about motive, particularly when patterns of targeted vandalism appear.

The author also references broader commentary from organisations such as B’nai Brith Canada, which has reported rising antisemitism, and argues that failure to explicitly name antisemitism risks normalising hate.

He concludes that accurate reporting should include the possibility of antisemitic motivation when raised by affected families and supported by context, asserting that omission can itself distort public understanding of such incidents.