Following the October 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, many western countries began to fear communism and the threats it posed to democracy. Canada was no exception with many Canadian newspapers discussing the dangers of communist ideology and how the spread of communism locally put democracy in Canada at risk.
The Jewish community was often closely tied to communism because of their Eastern European roots and the labour-friendly policies communism offered. Although only a small portion of the Jewish community supported communism, these comparisons led to the community being equated with the Communist party. They helped supporters of fascism spread antisemitic language as a front to fighting the threat of communism.
Even when discussing the riots at Christie Pits, some sources at the Toronto Telegram claimed that the spark for the riot was caused by Jewish Communists.
