Vancouver Mayor and Jewish Leaders Demand Apology, Investigation into Councillor-Elect's Controversial Tweet

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim and prominent Jewish community leaders are calling for an investigation and a formal apology from newly elected COPE councillor Sean Orr, following the resurfacing of a controversial tweet from 2021. The post, which many have deemed offensive and anti-Semitic, has sparked renewed concerns amid a significant rise in reported anti-Semitic incidents in the city.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Sim condemned the post, describing it as “incendiary” and deeply hurtful to both the Jewish community and the broader public. “These hateful comments hit us to our core,” he said, standing alongside Jewish leaders who echoed his call for accountability.

The tweet in question stated, “Everyone knows Vancouver City planners are controlled by a secret cabal of Jews who have a bunker in the earth’s core fml.” The comment has drawn particular scrutiny in light of what Jewish groups report as a 70 per cent increase in anti-Semitic incidents since the October 7 Israel-Hamas conflict. Ezra Shanken, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, said the safety of Jewish children and community centers has become a growing concern, with increased security now a regular presence.

Orr defended the tweet in an interview with Global News on Tuesday, claiming it was sarcastic and taken out of context. He said it was part of a longer thread responding to another user’s antisemitic dog whistle, and that his intention was to criticize, not endorse, antisemitic rhetoric. Orr argued he was calling out the conspiracy theory that a Jewish elite secretly controls world affairs.

Despite his explanation, community leaders rejected the justification. “Your callousness is unacceptable,” said Shanken. “Your behaviour and your comments are unacceptable to our community and would be unacceptable to any community.”

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Mayor Sim and the Jewish Federation are urging COPE and Orr to take full responsibility and have demanded a transparent investigation into the matter. As of Wednesday, Orr has not issued any additional public response or apology.