Police in Montreal are investigating after holes that appear to have been caused by a projectile were found on Wednesday morning in the front windows of a restaurant owned by an Israeli, The Montreal Gazette reported.
Yoni Amir, owner of the Falafel Yoni restaurant in the Mile End neighborhood of Montreal, said he believes his business was targeted because he is Jewish and was born in Israel, describing the attack as unsettling.
He said his restaurant has recently appeared on “boycott lists” circulating on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
Several times during the last few months, stickers with “free Palestine” and referencing genocide have been posted on the restaurant’s storefront, Amir told The Montreal Gazette, adding that a nearby gym whose co-owner is Jewish and was born in Israel also had its windows smashed early Wednesday morning.
Three small bullet-sized holes were visible in the front windows of the restaurant Wednesday afternoon. Amir said staff members found the holes that morning and he called police after he was notified.
Montreal Police spokesperson Sabrina Gauthier told CityNews Montreal that it is still too early to determine if the incident is a hate crime.
Gauthier confirmed that the incident likely happened overnight, but police are still working on gathering more evidence and surveillance footage on an exact time or possible suspects.
The incident was condemned by local politicians. Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante wrote on social media site X that she believes the incident was meant to "intimidate Montreal's Jewish community."
"Antisemitism and violence, whether expressed in images, words or actions, do not represent us and have no place in Montreal. I have every confidence that the [Montreal police] will use all necessary resources to find and arrest the perpetrator of this crime," she said.
Montreal Liberal MP Anthony Housefather wrote, “Shots fired at a Jewish owned business in Montreal that had been placed on a list of businesses circulated on social media requires us not only to condemn but to act. I call on the Montreal administration to support police in protecting Montreal’s Jewish community.”
Montreal city councillor Sonny Moroz said such attacks must be condemned.
“A Jewish business was targeted last night just because it is Jewish. It’s a reminder of humanity’s worst moments. I call on all governments and civil society to stop this hatred,” he wrote on X.
Montreal has seen an uptick in antisemitic incidents in the months following Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel.
In late November, a firebomb was thrown against the door of a Jewish community center in Montreal.
At the beginning of that month, Congregation Beth Tikvah in Dollard-Des Ormeaux was hit by firebombs.
Several days later, two Jewish schools in the city were hit with gunshots. Another Jewish school was riddled with bullets three days after that.
In late May, Montreal police launched an investigation after a Jewish school in the city was hit by gunfire. Police said there were no injuries.