A 24-year-old man has been arrested in connection with last week’s assault on a Jewish father in Parc-Extension’s Dickie Moore Park, an incident that was partially captured on video and widely circulated online.
Police say the events unfolded on August 8, shortly after 2:20 p.m., as the victim arrived at the park accompanied by his young children. According to investigators, a man in the park’s splash pad area approached the father and sprayed him with water from a bottle. Moments later, the suspect allegedly forced the victim to the ground and struck him repeatedly in the face, also delivering knee strikes, before leaving the scene on foot in the direction of Beaumont Avenue.
Footage recorded by a bystander shows part of the confrontation. In the video, the victim is on the ground while a child holds on to him. The assailant gathers items from a grocery bag and throws what appears to be the victim’s kippa into the splash pad.
The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) says the suspect was identified and located following an intensive investigation that relied on information from members of the public. He is currently being questioned, and the case file will be forwarded to the provincial Crown prosecutor’s office for a decision on charges. The investigation remains active.
Rabbi Saul Emanuel, executive director of the Jewish Community Council of Montreal, has called the assault a hate-motivated attack. He also criticized the police response time, claiming it took close to an hour for officers to arrive. Police contest that account, stating that the arrival time was under an hour but providing no further details while the case is ongoing.
Elected officials have publicly denounced the incident. Prime Minister Mark Carney described it as “an appalling act of violence” and said that all Canadians have the right to feel safe. Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante called the attack “violent and unacceptable,” while Quebec’s Minister for the Fight Against Racism, Christopher Skeete, stated that “hatred must stop.”
Police are asking anyone with additional information related to the case to contact investigators.
