{"publisher":{"name":"MediaBias News","url":"https://mediabias.news","methodology":"https://mediabias.news/methodology","editorialPrinciples":"https://mediabias.news/editorial-principles","corrections":"https://mediabias.news/corrections"},"scoreGuide":{"trust":"How well corroborated and evidenced the source reporting is. 0-100, higher is better.","critic":"Craft quality of the source journalism: context, balance, fact vs comment. 0-100, higher is better.","hype":"How far the source presentation runs ahead of substance. 0-100, LOWER IS BETTER.","scope":"Scores assess the original reporting this article was written from, not the truth of the underlying event and not the quality of this write-up."},"assessmentGuide":{"type":"coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis","factCheck":{"status":"not-performed","note":"Media Bias News compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It does not currently publish a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true."},"sourceFactuality":{"note":"Factuality values describe published ratings of the outlets that covered the story. They are not a factuality verdict on this story or its claims."}},"story":{"id":"https://mediabias.news/politics/antisemitic-flyers-distributed-at-belleville-synagogue-after-shooting","slug":"antisemitic-flyers-distributed-at-belleville-synagogue-after-shooting","url":"https://mediabias.news/politics/antisemitic-flyers-distributed-at-belleville-synagogue-after-shooting","title":"Antisemitic flyers distributed at Belleville synagogue after shooting","subtitle":"Police are investigating the distribution of flyers blaming Jewish people after a recent attack on the synagogue.","excerpt":"Antisemitic flyers were distributed to a Belleville, Ontario synagogue and surrounding neighbourhoods this week. The incident follows a shooting at the synagogue last month, and police are actively investigating.","category":"Politics","area":"United States","publishedAt":"2026-10-02T19:25:28.267Z","sourceReportedAt":"2026-10-02T18:59:55.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-02T19:25:28.267Z","readTime":"3 min read","scores":{"trust":60,"critic":70,"hype":20,"notes":{"trust":"Two full reports and five digests corroborate the central claim, with one full report naming the synagogue president.","critic":"Reports clearly separate fact from comment and provide specific details about the incident and the prior shooting.","hype":"Headlines use strong but appropriate adjectives like 'disturbing' and 'disgusting' to describe the events."}},"tags":["#Antisemitism","#HateCrime","#Canada","#Ontario","#Belleville","#SynagogueShooting"],"entities":["Sons of Jacob synagogue","Belleville, Ontario","Norman Weddum","Sean Ward","Canadian Armed Forces"],"body":[{"type":"key_takeaways","items":["Antisemitic flyers blaming Jewish people were distributed to the Sons of Jacob synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, and nearby areas.","The flyers were distributed after a Sept. 20 shooting at the synagogue, which police described as a thwarted mass killing.","The shooter, Sean Ward, was a former Canadian Armed Forces soldier.","Police are aware of the flyer distribution and are investigating the incident."]},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Antisemitic flyers were distributed this week to the Sons of Jacob synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, and surrounding neighbourhoods. Norman Weddum, president of the synagogue, stated he found four different flyers blaming Jewish people for various issues. Police have confirmed they are aware of the flyers and are actively investigating the incident."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"The distribution of the flyers occurred after a Sept. 20 shooting at the synagogue, which police have described as a thwarted mass killing. The shooter, identified as 29-year-old Sean Ward, was a former Canadian Armed Forces soldier who was released in 2022. Police stated Ward had multiple firearms, ammunition, and gasoline, with the apparent motive to carry out an extended attack when he opened fire on an officer stationed outside the building. Another officer arrived and joined the exchange of gunfire. No one inside the synagogue was harmed, but the officer outside sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was expected to undergo surgeries. Ward died in hospital the following day from injuries sustained during the shootout."},{"type":"heading","text":"Disagreement on flyer distribution details"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Norman Weddum stated that he woke up Thursday morning to find the flyers had been distributed overnight to the synagogue and throughout the city's east end. He also said that the number of flyers distributed and posted suggested it could not have been done by one person. Loonie Politics reported that the flyers were distributed in the city's east end according to police."},{"type":"heading","text":"What the coverage left out"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"No right-rated outlet ran this story. The digests from The Toronto Star, NiagaraFallsReview.ca, and WellandTribune.ca did not include Norman Weddum's statement that the number of flyers distributed and posted suggested it could not have been done by one person."}],"basedOn":[{"sourceName":"Global News","url":"https://globalnews.ca/news/12085774/belleville-synagogue-faces-antisemitism","headline":"‘Disturbing’: Belleville, Ont., synagogue receives antisemitic flyers after shooting","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-10-02T18:59:55.000Z"},{"sourceName":"Barrie 360","url":"https://barrie360.com/antisemitic-flyers-belleville-synagogue-shooting","headline":"Antisemitic Flyers Distributed at Belleville Synagogue After Shooting","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-10-02T18:20:24.000Z"},{"sourceName":"CP24","url":"https://cp24.com/news/2026/10/02/disturbing-belleville-ont-synagogue-receives-antisemitic-flyers-after-shooting","headline":"'Disturbing': Belleville, Ont., synagogue receives antisemitic flyers after shooting","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-10-02T17:47:45.068Z"},{"sourceName":"City News","url":"https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/10/02/disturbing-belleville-synagogue-receives-antisemitic-flyers-after-shooting","headline":"'Disturbing': Belleville synagogue receives antisemitic flyers after shooting","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-10-02T17:46:58.000Z"},{"sourceName":"The Toronto Star","url":"https://thestar.com/news/ontario/disturbing-belleville-ont-synagogue-receives-antisemitic-flyers-after-shooting/article_17a370f6-bade-5d5e-bf68-da9646efdf8b.html","headline":"‘Disturbing’: Belleville, Ont., synagogue receives antisemitic flyers after shooting","angle":"","publishedAt":"2026-10-02T17:34:01.000Z"},{"sourceName":"NiagaraFallsReview.ca","url":"https://niagarafallsreview.ca/news/ontario/disturbing-belleville-ont-synagogue-receives-antisemitic-flyers-after-shooting/article_3d89a559-08fc-5b76-a1d4-c35b0fb21dea.html","headline":"‘Disturbing’: Belleville, Ont., synagogue receives 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They also provided details of the shooting incident and the shooter's background."],"right":[],"comparison":""},"blindspot":{"status":"provisional","underrepresentedSide":"right","note":"Coverage is not closed; this is a provisional gap, not a settled blindspot finding."},"sourceFactualityDistribution":{"high":6,"unknown":1,"veryHigh":11},"ownershipDistribution":{"telecom":2,"privateEquity":2,"mediaConglomerate":8,"government":1,"independent":1},"firstDatedReport":{"sourceName":"CBC News","url":"https://cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/belleville-police-antisemitic-flyers-9.7365611","publishedAt":"2026-10-01T18:14:54.412Z"},"countries":[{"country":"Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Canada","count":5},{"country":"Ottawa, Ontario, Canada","count":1},{"country":"New York, New York, United States","count":1},{"country":"Niagara Falls, Niagara Regional Municipality, Ontario, Canada","count":1},{"country":"Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada","count":1},{"country":"Sault Ste. Marie, Algoma District, Ontario, Canada","count":1},{"country":"Orillia, Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada","count":1},{"country":"Fergus, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada","count":1},{"country":"North Bay, Nipissing District, Ontario, Canada","count":1},{"country":"Timmins, Cochrane District, Ontario, Canada","count":1}],"outlets":[{"name":"CBC News","url":"https://cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/belleville-police-antisemitic-flyers-9.7365611","headline":"Belleville police investigating antisemitic flyers less than 2 weeks after synagogue attack","publishedAt":"2026-10-01T18:14:54.412Z","leaningSide":"left","leaningRating":"leanLeft","factualityRating":"veryHigh","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Ottawa, Ontario, Canada","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"CTV News","url":"https://ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/police-investigating-antisemitic-flyers-distributed-in-belleville-ont","headline":"Police investigating antisemitic flyers distributed in Belleville, Ont.","publishedAt":"2026-10-01T19:12:44.691Z","leaningSide":"centre","leaningRating":"center","factualityRating":"veryHigh","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Canada","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"The Epoch Times","url":"https://theepochtimes.com/world/belleville-police-investigate-anti-semitic-flyers-less-than-2-weeks-after-synagogue-shooting-6097755","headline":"Belleville Police Investigate Anti-Semitic Flyers Less Than 2 Weeks After Synagogue Shooting","publishedAt":"2026-10-01T23:59:05.000Z","leaningSide":"right","leaningRating":"leanRight","factualityRating":"high","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"New York, New York, United States","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"Loonie Politics","url":"https://looniepolitics.com/disgusting-antisemitic-flyers-distributed-in-belleville-weeks-after-synagogue-shooting","headline":"‘Disgusting’ antisemitic flyers distributed in Belleville weeks after synagogue shooting","publishedAt":"2026-10-02T16:17:32.000Z","leaningSide":null,"leaningRating":"unknown","factualityRating":"unknown","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":null,"repostedFrom":null},{"name":"The Toronto Star","url":"https://thestar.com/news/ontario/disturbing-belleville-ont-synagogue-receives-antisemitic-flyers-after-shooting/article_17a370f6-bade-5d5e-bf68-da9646efdf8b.html","headline":"‘Disturbing’: Belleville, Ont., synagogue receives antisemitic flyers after shooting","publishedAt":"2026-10-02T17:34:01.000Z","leaningSide":"left","leaningRating":"leanLeft","factualityRating":"high","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Canada","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"NiagaraFallsReview.ca","url":"https://niagarafallsreview.ca/news/ontario/disturbing-belleville-ont-synagogue-receives-antisemitic-flyers-after-shooting/article_3d89a559-08fc-5b76-a1d4-c35b0fb21dea.html","headline":"‘Disturbing’: Belleville, Ont., synagogue receives antisemitic flyers after shooting","publishedAt":"2026-10-02T17:34:01.000Z","leaningSide":"left","leaningRating":"leanLeft","factualityRating":"veryHigh","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Niagara Falls, Niagara Regional Municipality, Ontario, Canada","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"WellandTribune.ca","url":"https://wellandtribune.ca/news/ontario/disturbing-belleville-ont-synagogue-receives-antisemitic-flyers-after-shooting/article_430fd937-e60a-5cb7-ba2d-8079aa1e9888.html","headline":"‘Disturbing’: Belleville, Ont., synagogue receives antisemitic flyers after shooting","publishedAt":"2026-10-02T17:34:01.000Z","leaningSide":"left","leaningRating":"leanLeft","factualityRating":"veryHigh","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":null,"repostedFrom":null},{"name":"Winnipeg Free Press","url":"https://winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/faith/2026/10/02/disturbing-belleville-ont-synagogue-receives-antisemitic-flyers-after-shooting","headline":"'Disturbing': Belleville, Ont., synagogue receives antisemitic flyers after shooting","publishedAt":"2026-10-02T17:34:01.000Z","leaningSide":"centre","leaningRating":"center","factualityRating":"veryHigh","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada","repostedFrom":null},{"name":"SooToday.com","url":"https://sootoday.com/ontario-news/disturbing-belleville-ont-synagogue-receives-antisemitic-flyers-after-shooting-12850704","headline":"'Disturbing': Belleville, Ont., synagogue receives antisemitic flyers after shooting","publishedAt":"2026-10-02T17:34:01.000Z","leaningSide":"left","leaningRating":"leanLeft","factualityRating":"high","angle":null,"isOpinion":false,"country":"Sault Ste. 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