Montreal: Jewish man beaten in front of his children

A scene of unprecedented violence. Early Friday afternoon, while walking with his two young children, a Jewish father was violently attacked by a man who is still being sought. The attacker reportedly approached the family as they were walking in Dickie-Moore Park, in the Parc-Extension neighborhood of Montreal , and sprayed them with water from a nearby pond, reports Le Journal de Montréal .

The surprised father then allegedly asked the man to explain his actions. The man allegedly threw him to the ground and punched him violently in the face. The end of the attack was filmed by a witness, who then shared it on social media. The father, pinned on his back, is seen being beaten up in front of his panicked and helpless young children.

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The father finally managed to kick his tormentor, who was pushed back. He got up on his knees, helped by his little girl clinging to his arm, while the attacker picked up his belongings from a corner. He then threw his victim's kippah into the water of the small pool.

The Journal de Montréal reports that a witness to the scene contacted the Montreal Police Service (SPVM) to report the attack and dispatch them to the scene. Mayer Feig, a member of Montreal's Hasidic community who shared the video of the attack on his social media, laments that it took the SPVM more than an hour to arrive at the scene. "A witness called the police, then the victim herself called 911 to ask why no one had arrived yet. It took 40 minutes for law enforcement to arrive," he later reports in the Journal de Montréal.

"According to initial reports, it appears that a 32-year-old man was repeatedly beaten by a suspect. The suspect, who fled before the police arrived, has still not been arrested," reported Manuel Couture, head of communications for the SPVM, quoted by Radio Canada . "The reasons surrounding this attack are unknown at this time. The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The SPVM investigation is still ongoing," he said.

As images of the attack flooded social media, many political figures expressed their outrage. Canada's new Prime Minister, Mark Carney , denounced the violence as "heinous." "In Canada, everyone has the inalienable right to live in safety. My thoughts are with the victim and her family as they recover from this ordeal, and I wholeheartedly support the law enforcement agencies working to bring the perpetrator to justice," he said on X.

Quebec Premier François Legault also expressed his anger. "I am deeply shocked by the violent attack against a Jewish father in Montreal. Hate and violence have no place in Quebec. My thoughts are with the victim, his loved ones, and especially his children. I hope that justice will be served."

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Quebec's anti-racism minister, Christopher Skeete, said he was "troubled" by the video of the attack, in which "a person from the Jewish community appears to be gratuitously attacked in front of her child, whose screams can be heard." He deplored "this hatred that is being transposed towards people who are different," adding that it must "stop ." Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante promised that "the SPVM will shed full light on this disturbing event."