Actions of pro-Palestine protesters targeting a few businesses in Toronto were widely denounced as antisemitic. But, as described in Anna Lippman’s article and by others, boycotting Israeli businesses has long been a peaceful tactic of Palestinian rights groups, and is not necessarily antisemitic.
On Nov. 10, red paint was splashed on the doors of Indigo's flagship Bay and Bloor location and signs were put on the window saying founder and CEO, Heather Reisman, is “funding genocide.”
There have been calls to boycott Indigo since 2007 because of Reisman and husband Gerry Schwartz’s HESEG Foundation for Lone Soldiers, an organization which encourages foreigners to join the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).
The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center and others pointed out the Indigo action coincided with the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the night Nazis vandalized many Jewish businesses in 1938. Indigo CEO Reisman is Jewish. This sparked fears over the incident’s significance.
Beyond that, there doesn't seem to be evidence that activists targeted the store because of Reisman’s religion.
Cafe Landwer is part of a large Israeli company with many locations there. One location was built on top of an ancient Islamic cemetery in Jerusalem in 2015, which outraged many Palestinians.
Aroma Espresso Bar is an Israeli company which built locations in the occupied West Bank. The development pushed out Palestinians and is illegal under international law.
At pro-Palestinian protests, there were calls and chants to boycott these cafés.
Other businesses targeted around Canada this fall for their involvement with Israel include Scotiabank, L3Harris (weapons), Lockheed Martin (weapons) and INKAS (weapons).
