Montreal synagogue vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti in broad daylight

MONTREAL — A major Montreal synagogue was vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti Wednesday afternoon.

Rabbi Adam Scheier of Shaar Hashomayim, one of the largest synagogues in Montreal, said in a letter to members of the congregation that a man had spray-painted swastikas on the doors of the temple around 2 p.m.

Scheier said the man was quickly detained by a security guard, adding that police arrived soon afterwards and arrested him. The synagogue said the man was carrying a canister of gasoline when he was arrested. 

Montreal police did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

Rabbi Reuben Poupko, co-chair of the Quebec branch of advocacy group Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, said the community is outraged by Wednesday’s “vile assault.”

“This attack targets the entire community and all those who embrace civility and tolerance,” he said in a statement. “Coming in the wake of other violent anti-Semitic attacks, it is yet another reminder of the dangerous role social media continues to play in the spreading of hate and the provocation of violence.”

Federal Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller, who represents a riding close to the synagogue, condemned the vandalism in a post on Twitter, calling it an “utter disgrace.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2021.

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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. 

The Canadian Press