A violent and disturbing incident occurred last Saturday in the heart of Montreal’s Jewish quarter, when a man allegedly attacked haredi passersby in an apparent attempt to humiliate them and steal their traditional head coverings.
Security camera footage circulated on social media, which sparked widespread outrage, shows a black vehicle pulling up and stopping at the side of the street.
A man then exits the vehicle and quickly sneaks up behind a Hasidic Jew who was walking peacefully after leaving Shabbat prayers at a synagogue. The attacker is seen repeatedly attempting to snatch the shtreimel from the man’s head, while the victim struggles and narrowly manages to escape at the last moment.
The video shows several other Hasidic men who notice the incident and rush toward the attacker, causing him to briefly retreat before fleeing the scene.
In a later segment of the footage, the suspect is seen passing another group of Hasidic individuals, who appear startled and move away from him.
Despite the initial failed attempts and resistance from local residents, members of the Jewish community reported that, after several further attempts, the assailant eventually succeeded in stealing two shtreimels from other individuals before fleeing the scene in his vehicle.
The incident has triggered widespread concern and deep anxiety within Montreal’s Jewish community.
Community leaders issued an urgent appeal for the public to remain vigilant, take precautions when walking in the streets, and immediately contact law enforcement if they have any information that could assist in identifying and apprehending the suspect.
The incident adds to a series of reported antisemitic cases in Canada. Just last week, Toronto was shaken by a separate attack in which a kippah-wearing man was assaulted by an attacker.
In that case, Toronto police acted quickly and arrested the suspect, who reportedly stated during questioning that he identifies as a “Yemeni Houthi." Following these events, Jewish organizations have called on Canadian authorities to strengthen security and enforcement around Jewish institutions and communities.