Montreal Police Arrest Suspect in Assault on Jewish Father

Montreal police say they have arrested a 23-year-old man accused of attacking a Jewish father in front of his young children on Aug. 8.

Investigation is still ongoing for the assault in which a Jewish man was beaten in front of his children, with police now releasing more details of what occurred as well as announcing the Aug. 11 arrest of the suspect.

According to Montreal City Police Service (SPVM), the victim was walking in Dickie Moore Park in Montreal’s borough of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension on the afternoon of Aug. 8 when he was approached by the suspect and sprayed with the contents of the suspect’s water bottle. After this, the victim tried to approach the suspect, at which point police say the attacker allegedly pushed the victim onto the ground and punched and kneed him a number of times before tossing the victim’s yarmulke away and fleeing on foot around 2:26 p.m.

The victim was subsequently treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to police, who have not released the name of the victim or the suspect.

Police are asking anyone with information on the attack to contact Montreal’s crime tip line at 514-393-1133 or visit their site at infocrimemontreal.ca.

The assault drew condemnation from various politicians including Prime Minister Mark Carney who said on Aug. 9 that the attack on the Jewish father “is an appalling act of violence.”

“My thoughts are with the victim and his family as they recover, and my support is with law enforcement as they work to bring the perpetrator to justice,” Carney said.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said on Aug. 8 that the assault was “appalling and unacceptable,” adding that “no family should have to live in fear in Canada,” and “we must stop the anti-Semitism that has exploded in our communities.”

Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar commented Aug. 9 that the attack was “stomach-turning” and “reminiscent of dark periods of Jewish persecution.” Sa’ar said Aug. 11 that he has spoken with the victim, “David,” and invited David and his family to visit Jerusalem, while also calling on the Canadian government to implement “a zero tolerance policy against antisemitism and to call this crime what it is – a hate crime.”

There has been a marked increase of anti-Semitic incidents in Canada over the last few years, including attempted arson of synagogues and incidents of shots being fired at a Jewish girls school in Toronto last year. According to B’Nai Brith Canada, the 6,219 anti-Semitic incidents it recorded last year are the most it has ever documented in a single year and represent a 7.4 percent jump compared to 2023.

In his July 30 statement announcing Canada’s plan to recognize Palestinian statehood next month at the U.N., Prime Minister Mark Carney said that Canada has a growing problem with anti-Semitism and said his government will be putting forward legislation in September to protect Jews and “vulnerable communities” in Canada.