The Montreal police hate crimes unit (MICH) is investigating a series of alleged antisemitic attacks targeting members of the Hasidic community in Outremont on Friday night, July 3, after several men were harassed while walking home from Shabbat services, and three had their traditional fur hats, or shtreimels, snatched from their heads.
According to the Jewish Hasidic Council of Quebec (CJHQ), the incidents occurred between approximately 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. in what they described as “a deliberate spree of harassment” directed at visibly Jewish individuals.
The council said attackers drove through the neighbourhood in a coordinated manner, with one person driving while two others exited the vehicle to confront pedestrians before making a quick getaway. The victims were allegedly subjected to antisemitic slurs, had cans thrown at them, and—in the instance of one victim who uses a wheelchair—was reportedly spat upon, said community spokesperson Mayer Feig.
The borough of Outremont is home to more than 6,200 Jews, the second-largest Jewish population in the city of Montreal. The community makes up more than a quarter of residents, and largely comprises ultra-Orthodox Jews.
Several victims had their shtreimels forcibly taken, while another man’s hat was knocked off but not stolen. An attempted theft was captured on a security camera outside a Bernard Street business west of Parc Avenue, in the heart of the Hasidic community, and showed a man exiting a small car and approaching a Hasidic man from behind, attempting to snatch his hat from him. The victim resisted, and, after a brief confrontation, the suspect made taunting gestures and returned to the waiting vehicle which then drove away.
Chaverim Shomrim community security volunteers captured the license plate of the car.
Feig told The CJN that investigators are reviewing additional surveillance footage from the area that the community has chosen not to release publicly at this time, so as not to interfere with the ongoing police investigation.
The CJHQ however, said the attacks were “not a prank or a random act of mischief,” but rather “a serious and deliberate series of acts of harassment and intimidation directed at members of the Jewish community as they walked home from synagogue after Shabbat services.” The organization said every person “should be able to walk safely to and from their place of worship without fear of harassment or intimidation” and urged anyone with information to contact police.
The CJN could not obtain further details of the suspects, or the possible connection to any other antisemitic crimes in the city from the SPVM, which stated it is working with limited resources today, July 7, due to the significant logistical effort required for the memorial service of slain 34-year-old police constable Mohamed Lamine Benredouane, who was gunned down by a shooter in the Snowdon neighborhood of Côte des Neiges on June 22, that also saw 68-year-old Michel Mizrahi shot dead in the cross fire, reportedly by a police officer’s bullets
On Sunday, Outremont Mayor Caroline Braun saw video of the incidents and posted, “To date, a dozen people have reportedly filed complaints for having been assaulted in this way, and three hats have been stolen. As mayor of Outremont, I strongly condemn this kind of act.”
For several months, Braun says she has noticed “a worrying rise in antisemitism in Montreal and Outremont. We have seen hateful graffiti, intimidation, violence and hate speech that have no place in our city. This escalation is unacceptable. This must stop. Montreal must remain a city where everyone can live in safety, respect and dignity, regardless of their origin or religion.”
D’Arcy-McGee MNA Elisabeth Prass posted a denunciation of the acts, saying, “The antisemitic acts committed on Friday evening against members of the Hasidic Jewish community in Outremont are deeply shocking… No one should have to fear walking in their neighborhood or practicing their religion for fear of being targeted.”
Outremont MP Rachel Bendayan added, “Deeply disturbed by reports of antisemitic harassment targeting members of the Hasidic community in Outremont this weekend. No one should ever fear harassment or violence because of their faith or the way they dress. The SPVM is investigating.”
Deeply disturbed by reports of antisemitic harassment targeting members of the Hasidic community in Outremont this weekend
No one should ever fear harassment or violence because of their faith or the way they dress.
The SPVM is investigating.
— Rachel Bendayan (@RachelBendayan) July 5, 2026
On Sunday, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs described the incident as “a horrific act of Jew hatred in Montreal… A month after the prime minister’s address, Canada’s antisemitism crisis continues as attacks targeting visibly Jewish Canadians spread across the country. Here’s what happens when antisemitism is normalized: A gratuitous, cowardly, and hateful attack against Hasidic Jews was carried out on Friday evening.”
Feig told The CJN that investigators have identified a vehicle believed to have been involved in the attacks.
“The police, the investigators are taking it very seriously. We are very confident that this will be resolved very quickly,” Feig said.
Feig said one witness recalled hearing an assailant allegedly shout, “Fuck the Jews,” while another victim reported hearing a remark about Jews that they did not hear clearly. Community security patrol volunteers assisted 10 victims in filing police reports, working until the early hours of Saturday morning at a local synagogue.
The CJHQ said they have “full confidence that the SPVM will conduct a thorough investigation, identify those responsible, and that the appropriate authorities will ensure they are held fully accountable under the law… We stand in full solidarity with the victims and reaffirm that our community will never be intimidated from living our faith openly and proudly.
Chaverim Shomrim posted, “We stand in unwavering solidarity with the victims, and we are profoundly grateful to the SPVM for their steadfast collaboration with Chaverim / Shomrim, adding, “together, we have created a powerful network of safety, trust, and support in Montreal, and we ask anyone with information to come forward and help us keep this collaboration strong and bring justice to those affected.”
Joel has spent his entire adult life scribbling. For two decades, he freelanced for more than a dozen North American and European trade publications, writing on home decor, HR, agriculture, defense technologies and more. Having lived at 14 addresses in and around Greater Montreal, for 17 years he worked as reporter for a local community newspaper, covering the education, political and municipal beats in seven cities and boroughs. He loves to bike, swim, watch NBA and kvetch about politics.