Montreal Jewish Community Center Hit by Molotov Cocktail

The Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) has launched an investigation after a purported Molotov cocktail was thrown at a Jewish community center in the Canadian city’s Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce area on Monday morning, according to local media.

CBC reports:

Montreal police spokesperson Jean-Pierre Brabant says a 911 came in around 1 a.m. for an incendiary device thrown through the front door window of a building on Décarie Boulevard, near Vézina Street.

Rabbi Saul Emanuel, executive director for the Jewish Community Council of Montreal (JCC), says there was damage to one of the entrances of the building, but no one was injured. […]

The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM)’s arson squad is leading the investigation. The hate crimes unit has been advised of the case, although it is not yet actively involved in the investigation.

“It did make it through the door, but other than that there was no further damage except for charred floors, walls and the glass panel of the front door was blown out,” Emanuel said in a statement to the news outlet.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in a post on X.com, condemned the alleged attack.

“I strongly condemn the attack on the Jewish Community Council of Montreal building yesterday. These continued acts of antisemitic violence are deplorable and unacceptable – and must stop immediately. We must all stand united against such vile, hateful acts,” Trudeau wrote. 

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said law enforcement is working diligently to locate the suspect. 

“Montreal is a city of peace and inclusion,” Plante said. “It must remain so and we’ll make sure of it.”

Montreal has seen a spate of attacks on Jewish organizations since Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 terror attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and wounded thousands more.

Earlier this month, an apparent attempted arson occurred at a synagogue and Jewish community center at the Congregation Beth Tikvah synagogue in the suburb of Dollard-des-Ormeaux in Montreal.