Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said on Tuesday that she decided not to attend a city hall ceremony marking Israel’s Independence Day because an event where the Israeli flag is raised is currently "divisive" due to the war in Gaza, CP24 reported. Chow told reporters it was "pretty clear" the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas had caused deep fissures in the city, citing waves of demonstrations since the violence began on Oct. 7. "I think it’s a bit divisive because there’s a war going on," Chow said of the flag raising, adding, "Emotions are very high and I think it's important that we hear each other. Be empathetic." She noted that Toronto's mayor does not decide which flags are flown at city hall events and such requests are approved by the protocol office following public submissions. She said she also does not typically go to flag-raising ceremonies because they are so frequent. Tuesday’s event took place above Toronto’s Nathan Phillips Square, named for the mayor of the city from 1955 to 1962, who was Jewish. There was also an Israeli flag-raising event at the Ontario legislature later in the day. Toronto city councillor James Pasternak, who was involved with the event at Toronto City Hall, expressed his disappointment that Chow did not attend. “She said it was divisive, which I vigorously disagree with. What’s been divisive in the last seven months are these hate mobs that have taken over the city, they’re the ones tearing us apart, not a peaceful gathering that’s Charter-protected, that is praying for the release of the hostages and peace in the area,” he told The Canadian Jewish News . “We have dozens of these flag raisings every year and some of them are countries that are in conflict and we still do them. It’s important to understand what Toronto is—it’s a community of nationalities and people still have a closeness with the country they came from, in Israel’s case, it’s a connection of faith and history,” added Pasternak. He added he would speak with the mayor “about the pain this has caused and hope she understands that.” Tuesday’s events came as Toronto and the area have seen an increase in anti-Israel riots and acts of antisemitism since the start of Israel’s war against Hamas on October 7. In early November, an Indigo book store in downtown Toronto was vandalized with red paint and posters plastered on its front windows wrongfully accusing its Jewish founder and CEO, Heather Reisman, of “Funding Genocide.” In January, a Jewish-owned grocery store in Toronto was spray-painted with the words “Free Palestine” and later set on fire. Days later, Toronto police arrested four people on a highway overpass, located near a predominantly Jewish neighborhood, that has become the site of recurring pro-Palestinian Arab protests. Related articles: Toronto man charged with 29 offenses, including hate crimes Officers praise ‘positive’ impact of October 7 massacre on Islam Plane crash at airport injures 15, three of them critically York University to hold pro-Palestinian dinner In February, an anti-Israel protest at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto turned into a display of antisemitism. At least one protester was documented scaling the hospital with a Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) flag. Last month, posters in Toronto depicting four-year-old Ariel Bibas and one-year-old Kfir Bibas, who were kidnapped to Gaza on October 7 along with their parents Shiri and Yarden Bibas, were vandalized with swastikas .