By Joseph Marshall
Montreal police are investigating what community leaders say was a series of anti-Jewish attacks in Outremont during Shabbat, an incident that reportedly saw multiple visibly Jewish residents assaulted over the course of Friday evening. Unlike previous incidents involving a single victim, early accounts suggest this may have been a short-lived spree carried out by two suspects who allegedly targeted Jewish pedestrians as they encountered them.
The first public description of the incident came from Mayer Feig, Executive Director of the Quebec Council of Hasidic Jews, who posted on X that two individuals allegedly “attacked multiple Jewish people in Outremont” during Shabbat.
According to Feig, three shtreimels, the distinctive fur hats traditionally worn by many Hasidic men on Shabbat and Jewish holidays, were forcibly taken during the attacks. He further alleged that the suspects attempted to steal a fourth shtreimel but were unsuccessful after the intended victim resisted. Feig also reported that a person using a wheelchair was assaulted and that the attackers repeatedly yelled “F*** Jews” while carrying out the attacks.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) described the incident as “a horrific act of Jew hatred in Montreal” and called for those responsible to be brought to justice. While CIJA did not add new factual details beyond those first reported publicly, its statement signals that major Jewish organizations consider the allegations credible enough to warrant immediate public condemnation. The reported theft of shtreimels would represent more than simple robbery. Unlike a wallet or cellphone, a shtreimel is one of the most recognizable symbols of Hasidic Jewish identity. Deliberately grabbing or attempting to remove one from a victim would likely become an important factor in determining whether the victims were selected because they were visibly Jewish.
Community discussion over the weekend has suggested the attacks may have unfolded over more than one location, with multiple victims encountered within a relatively short period. There have also been social media reports that the suspects were young males and that several witnesses observed portions of the incident.
The reported assaults come at a time of heightened concern within Montreal’s Jewish community. Over the past two years, the city has experienced shootings at Jewish schools, fire bombings of synagogues and community institutions, repeated acts of vandalism, demonstrations outside Jewish neighbourhoods and, last summer, the filmed beating of an Orthodox Jewish father in front of his children. That attack prompted widespread condemnation and renewed calls for stronger enforcement against anti-Jewish violence.
As of publication, the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) has not released a public statement outlining what occurred, nor has it confirmed the number of victims, whether arrests have been made, or whether the investigation is being handled as a hate-motivated offence.
In a post on X, Feig has called on the police and all levels of government to take immediate action so these kind of attacks on Jews stop immediately.
