Montreal police investigate after Jewish man with young children attacked, beaten
Police say assailant fled before officers arrived
Montreal police are investigating after a 32-year-old Jewish man, with his young children at his side, was attacked Friday afternoon in the borough of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension.
Police spokesperson Const. Caroline Chèvrefils said officers responded to a 911 call about an altercation at the corner of l'Épée and Beaumont avenues at 2:45 p.m. ET.
Chèvrefils confirmed that a video, which is circulating online, shows part of the attack. The 28-second video does not show what led up to it, but begins with the assailant straddling and striking the victim, who is on the ground, several times.
The victim, who appears to be dressed in traditional Jewish attire, gets up on his knees and one of at least two children clings to him. The attacker picks up some belongings in a grocery bag, and then tosses what appears to be a kippah, a head covering worn by Jewish men and boys, into a wet, splash pad area.
Police say the victim was struck several times and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The assailant then fled before officers arrived and has not been arrested.
The reason for the assault is not yet known, Chèvrefils said.
Jeremy Levi, the mayor of Hampstead, a municipality within Montreal, posted the video on X that afternoon, calling it "beyond deplorable" and "outrage against basic human decency."
"In the heart of Montreal, a Jewish father is savagely beaten in front of his children," Levi said.
"We will defend our people — every time, without apology," he said.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) also posted the video on Facebook, saying "authorities must hold the attacker accountable, and leaders at all levels of government must confront this dangerous escalation."