MONTREAL — The Montreal City Police Service (SPVM) is investigating a fire that broke out Wednesday in a synagogue located in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, in the West Island of Montreal. . The political class denounced this new criminal act which affects the Jewish community of the metropolis.
Around 3 a.m. early Wednesday morning, a call was made to 911 to report a fire at Congregation Beth Tikvah, located on Westpark Street, near Roger-Pilon Street.
“The police went to the scene and were able to quickly extinguish the fire with their fire extinguisher,” said Véronique Dubuc, spokesperson for the SPVM.
“There is still damage caused to the religious building. We are talking about broken windows, we are also talking about damage that was caused by the smoke from the start of the fire,” she added.
Police located an incendiary object near the scene. Witnesses also said they saw a suspect quickly leaving the scene just after the fire started.
When the police were carrying out checks in the synagogue area on Wednesday morning, they spotted mischief committed in a nearby building around 7:20 a.m. They found smashed windows.
“There was no incendiary object found at this second location. All the same, it is a crime scene that is considered,” explained Ms. Dubuc.
The SPVM arson module is responsible for the investigation. The police force’s hate incidents and crimes module is also involved in the investigation, and will be responsible for determining, in light of the information collected, whether this event corresponds to a hate incident or not.
This is not the first time that a Montreal synagogue has been targeted by an arson attack. Last November, the police opened an investigation into an incendiary object which was allegedly thrown against the door of the premises of the Council of the Jewish Community of Montreal.
Several attacks against the Jewish community of Montreal have been perpetrated since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in October 2023.
The political class reacts
François Bonnardel, Minister of Public Security, reacted to the arson attack on the synagogue in a publication on the social network X on Wednesday morning.
“Once again, completely unacceptable actions were taken against the Jewish community in Montreal while buildings were set on fire,” the minister wrote.
“We are told that the SPVM will increase its visibility in the neighborhood to reassure the population. We will let the police carry out the investigation. I repeat, these actions have no place in Quebec,” he added.
Prime Minister François Legault re-shared Minister Bonnardel’s post, writing: “This is not the Quebec we want.”
“Anti-Semitic actions are criminal actions. The SPVM is investigating and will find the culprits. It is intolerable that Montreal citizens live in insecurity because of their religion,” wrote the mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante, in a publication on X.
