A Jewish man was severely beaten at a park in Montreal, Canada in front of his young children on Friday.
The attack took place in the borough of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension. A 28-second clip shared to social media showed the attacker punching the man on the ground repeatedly as a young girl stood close by.
He then got off the alleged victim and stole his kippah, before throwing it into a nearby fountain. It is not clear what sparked the assault.
Police in Montreal are now investigating the incident and have confirmed the victim was struck several times and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The assailant fled before officers arrived and has not yet been identified.
The incident shown in this video is shocking and stomach-turning.
— Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) August 9, 2025
A Jewish father was beaten in front of his daughter in Montreal, Canada, yesterday.
These are images reminiscent of dark periods of Jewish persecution.
This is appalling.
The Canadian government must do more to… pic.twitter.com/6whsYit19W
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney condemned the attack in a post on social media on Saturday, calling it "an appalling act of violence".
He wrote: "Everyone in Canada has an inalienable right to live in safety. My thoughts are with the victim and his family as they recover, and my support is with law enforcement as they work to bring the perpetrator to justice."
Likewise, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante called the assault "troubling," adding: “I am disturbed by the violent and unacceptable attack against a father from the Jewish community.
"My thoughts are with the victim and their loved ones.”
And Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar shared the clip on his own X account, writing: “The incident shown in this video is shocking and stomach-turning.
“A Jewish father was beaten in front of his daughter in Montreal, Canada.
“These are images reminiscent of dark periods of Jewish persecution. This is appalling.”
Meanwhile, Canadian Jewish groups have condemned the attack and called for swift action against the perpetrator.
The Combat Antisemitism Movement said: "On August 8…. a Jewish father was savagely beaten to the ground as his three young children watched in terror.
"Their screams could not stop the violence. The children are deeply traumatised, and the father was rushed to the hospital. Horrifying antisemitism."
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs added: "Authorities must hold the attacker accountable, and leaders at all levels of government must confront this dangerous escalation."
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