The brother-in-law of a Jewish man attacked in a park in Canada has spoken out, saying that the victim "saw the hate" in the attacker's eyes.
The attack occurred in Dickie Moore Park in Montreal last Friday in broad daylight as the unnamed victim was walking with his three children.
A video of the incident showed the attacker repeatedly punching the man as he lay on the ground beside his children, unable to get up.
The attacker eventually stopped, threw the man's kippah into the fountain and left.
Now, though, the victim’s brother-in-law, Zev Feldman, has spoken to Canadian broadcaster CBC about the attack.
He said: "He was in the sprinkler park [when] he was approached by the individual who sprayed water at him and on the kids.
"He was punched in his face many times, thrown on the ground, surrounded by his three kids."
A 23-year-old man, Sergio Yanes Preciado, has been charged with one count of assault causing bodily harm.
He has also been sent for psychiatric evaluation following a criminologist’s report suggesting he suffered from delirium, potentially caused by mental health issues.
But Feldman claimed that the attack was racially motivated and should be treated as a hate crime.
Explaining his justification, he said: "The fact that he was the only Jewish person with kids and at a time when there is unfortunately a lot of violence against Jews.
"The fact that his kippah was thrown into the water — he didn't choose to throw anything else.
"According to him he could see the hate — the passion in his attacker's eyes."
The victim is currently recovering from his injuries and, according to CBC, does not wish to be publicly identified.
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