Montreal Police Arrest Suspect in Assault on Orthodox Jewish Father

Montreal police have arrested a 24-year-old man suspected of violently assaulting a 32-year-old Orthodox Jewish father in Dickie Moore Park while he was watching his three children. The attack, partially captured on video and shared widely on social media, shows the suspect spraying the victim with water, then pushing him to the ground, punching, and kneeing him, while his children were nearby. The suspect fled the scene but was located and taken into custody by the North Regional Investigation Section, and the investigation remains ongoing with charges expected to be filed soon. Police have not officially classified the assault as a hate crime, though Jewish community organizations have expressed concern about the targeting of the visibly Jewish victim and his yarmulke being thrown into a fountain. Community groups, including B’nai Brith Canada and the Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs, praised the police for the arrest while urging continued vigilance against antisemitism. Political leaders in Montreal and Quebec have condemned the attack and voiced support for the victim and his family.