A 34-year-old Winnipeg man is accused of carrying out a spray‑painting spree that targeted a synagogue, a mosque, and a dozen other locations with what police described as “hate‑related" graffiti, though no hate‑crime charges have yet been laid, reported the Winnipeg Free Press.
Winnipeg police said the suspect has been charged with 14 counts of mischief under $5,000 for allegedly defacing properties between 4:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. on January 2.
“Acts of hate have no place in our community. They do not represent who we are and they will not be ignored," said Insp. Jennifer McKinnon, who oversees the major crimes unit’s hate crimes section. “This arrest will not erase what happened, but is an important step toward accountability and healing."
Swastikas were sprayed on the Abu Bakr Al‑Siddique mosque and community centre, the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue, Kelvin High School, and the entrance to Munson Park on Wellington Crescent. Homes, garages, and vehicles in Crescentwood were also vandalized with “hate‑related graffiti," police said, adding they are not disclosing a suspected motive.
McKinnon explained that the absence of hate‑crime charges “speaks back to motivation."
“Initially, when we’re looking at the synagogue as a lone-standing event, we look at that charge - mischief in relation to a religious property," she said. “However, given the totality of the other addresses and locations, and the type of graffiti that was spray-painted, we now have to look at the motivation behind this."
She said investigators are continuing to consult prosecutors and that establishing motive “takes time." Hate‑crime charges “can be considered once we come to the end of that," she added.
Rena Secter Elbaze, executive director of Congregation Shaarey Zedek, welcomed the arrest but said she felt “kind of deflated" when she learned hate‑crime charges had not been laid.
“It doesn’t seem to look as serious as it should be," she said. “If (the investigation) is not over yet, maybe there’s an opportunity to take it further and pursue it properly."
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) said: “One week ago, Winnipeg’s oldest synagogue was desecrated in a vile act of hatred."
The organization praised the solidarity shown by community members and allies, adding: “Today, we welcome the news that the Winnipeg Police Service has made an arrest in connection with this and other hate crimes across the city. We commend authorities for their swift work and expect criminals to be held accountable to the full extent of the law - this is essential in deterring violent extremists and safeguarding the future for all Canadians."
Last year, a 19-year-old Winnipeg resident was charged with terrorism-related charges after being arrested for spray-painting antisemitic graffiti across the city.
The suspect was taken into custody by the RCMP in March of 2025, after Winnipeg police received multiple reports of antisemitic vandalism in the Charleswood area between September 28 and December 31 of 2024.
In July of 2022, 70 headstones were toppled in the Shaarey Zedek cemetery in Winnipeg. At the time, officials did not describe the vandalism as antisemitism, calling it a “desecration".