Montreal synagogue spray painted with swastikas
This article contains images of swastikas spraypainted on a synagogue.
Montreal police (SPVM) say its hate crimes division is investigating after a synagogue in the Plateau-Mont-Royal neighbourhood was defaced with antisemitic graffiti.
Swastikas were spray painted on Bagg Street Shul sometime over the weekend, said synagogue president Michael Kaplan on Tuesday.
Kaplan says it’s the first time he’s seen something like this in his 15-year history with the synagogue on Clark Street, though he does not see it as a sign of rising antisemitism.
Photos of the graffiti circulated widely on social media.
Marvin Rotrand, former Montreal councillor and national director of B’nai Brith’s league for human rights. sent a letter to the city, calling for more action against antisemitism.
"While the congregation is small, the synagogue evokes Jewish history in Montreal and the attack on it causes dismay in the community," the letter reads.
He urged city council to publicly denounce the vandalism and mark the upcoming Yom Hashoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day.
"We recommend a declaration to mark Yom Hashoah be inscribed on the April 18 City Council meeting. We also propose that the practice introduced by Mayor Gerald Tremblay of inviting the Jewish community to City Hall so that the names of victims of the Holocaust be read be reinstated."
The synagogue Bagg Street Shul in Montreal was defaced with swastikas in March 2023. (CTV News)
In a tweet, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs says it has "reported the incident to law enforcement and will continue working with them to ensure the safety and security of the Jewish community."
Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante expressed her support for the city's Jewish community, adding that there's no place in Montreal for discrimination and racism. Plante said the city is working hard to ensure everyone's safety.
With files form the Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Statistics Canada reports real GDP up 0.6% in January as Quebec strikes end
Statistics Canada says real gross domestic product grew 0.6 per cent in January, helped by the end of public sector strikes in Quebec in November and December.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
Ukrainian child asylum seekers in St. John’s get class of their own
Roughly 50 children will gathered in a St. John’s classroom for the first time on Saturday for unique lessons on Ukrainian language, culture and history.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.