Suspect Arrested in Vicious Antisemitic Assault on Montreal Father

A suspect has been arrested in connection with the violent, antisemitic assault of a Jewish father in front of his young children last Friday, an incident that was captured on video and sparked widespread condemnation. Members of Chaverim and Shomrim of Montreal spotted the suspect and alerted police, who made the arrest.

Chaverim/Shomrim worked in close coordination with the SPVM (Service de police de la Ville de Montréal) over the weekend, and their assistance led directly to the successful apprehension of the suspect on Monday.

The assault occurred around 2:45 p.m. on Friday, August 8, in the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough. The 32-year-old victim was at a splash pad with his three children when he was brutally attacked.

Disturbing video footage of the incident circulated widely online, showing an assailant straddling the father and striking him repeatedly.

In the video, one of the victim’s terrified children can be seen clinging to their father as the attack unfolds. Before leaving the scene, the attacker is seen picking up the victim’s yarmulke and contemptuously throwing it into the water.

The victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The attack drew immediate and sharp condemnation from leaders across the political spectrum.

Quebec Prime Minister Mark Carney called the assault “an appalling act of violence,” stating, “Everyone in Canada has an inalienable right to live in safety.”

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) had shared the footage, demanding that “authorities must hold the attacker accountable, and leaders at all levels of government must confront this dangerous escalation.”