Montreal police announced Tuesday that they had arrested a 24-year-old man suspected of assaulting a Jewish man in front of his children in a city park, according to CBC Canada.
Jewish man attacked in Montreal
The attack, partially captured on video, sparked public outrage after footage showed the victim being beaten while lying on the ground in front of his children. The assailant then threw the man’s kippah into a fountain.
Montreal police said the suspect is currently under investigation, and the case will be transferred to the Quebec Attorney General’s Office to consider possible charges. “Montreal police spared no effort in locating the suspect and continue their investigation to fully shed light on the circumstances of this criminal act,” the force said in a statement published by CBC. The police also thanked members of the public who provided information that helped locate the suspect.
According to police, the victim had tried to speak to the suspect, who allegedly pushed him to the ground, struck him several times in the face, kneed him and then left the scene on foot. The short video does not show what led up to the assault but begins with the attacker standing over the victim and hitting him repeatedly as the victim lay on the ground.
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The attacker, on the right ,next to the Jewish man and his daughter
(Photo: Social media)
Although Montreal police have not yet classified the attack as antisemitic, it has drawn widespread condemnation. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney commented that “the assault on a Jewish father in Montreal in front of his children is a horrific act of violence. Everyone in Canada has the right to live in safety. My thoughts are with the victim and his family as he recovers.” Carney added that he hoped the attacker would be arrested and brought to justice swiftly.
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Jeremy Levy, a representative of Hampstead — a municipality in Montreal with a large Jewish population — posted the video on X shortly after the assault, calling the incident “beyond despicable” and “a grave violation of basic humanity.” Levy wrote: “In the heart of Montreal, a Jewish father is brutally attacked in front of his children.”
Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also condemned the attack and urged the Canadian government to act. He said he had spoken with the victim, whose name is David. “I just spoke with David, who was brutally attacked in front of his children simply because he is Jewish, in Montreal last Friday. I offered him and his family my support. I am deeply concerned about the rise in antisemitism toward Canada’s Jewish community. I call on the Canadian government to adopt a zero-tolerance policy toward antisemitism and to name this crime for what it is — a hate crime. I invited David and his family to Israel, and I look forward to seeing them in Jerusalem soon.”