MONTREAL — A brutal assault on a Jewish father in front of his three young children in Montreal’s Villeray—Saint-Michel—Parc-Extension borough has sparked widespread outrage from political leaders and community members.
The attack occurred Friday afternoon around 2:45 p.m., when police say a 32-year-old man was struck repeatedly by another man at a local park. A bystander’s video, released by the Journal de Montréal, shows the suspect beating the victim as children stood nearby, visibly distressed.
Montreal police say the motive remains unclear, no arrests have been made, and the victim’s injuries are non-life-threatening.
Mayor Valérie Plante called the incident “violent and unacceptable,” pledging that police will “get to the bottom of it.” Federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel condemned the “unprovoked assault of a Jewish father” and expressed solidarity with the victim’s family.
Christopher Skeete, Quebec’s minister responsible for the fight against racism, described the video as “deeply disturbing,” noting that hatred of any kind must be confronted. “All Quebecers have the right to live in safety,” he said.
Police are continuing to investigate the assault.