A major Montreal synagogue was vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti Wednesday afternoon, an act quickly condemned by Jewish groups and the Prime Minister of Canada. Rabbi Adam Scheier of Shaar Hashomayim, one of the largest synagogues in Montreal, said in a letter to members of the congregation that a man had spray-painted swastikas on the doors of the temple around 2 p.m. Scheier said the man was quickly detained by a security guard, and.
Congregation Shaar Hashomayim in Westmount was vandalized Wednesday with Nazi swastikas.
A 28-year-old man, who had a gas canister with him, was seen and apprehended by synagogue security guards and arrested by police. Adam Riga, reported as being a St. Laurent resident, appeared in court Thursday and was charged with possessing explosive material to commit a criminal act.
Ville-MarieâLe Sud-OuestâÃle-des-Soeurs MP Marc Miller condemned the attack. âThe desecration of Montrealâs Shaar Hashomayim with the most vile and abhorrent symbol of evil and hate is an utter disgrace,â he wrote on Twitter. âI ask all Canadians to stand with Shaar Hashomayin and members of the Jewish faith as we condemn this act that has no place in this country!â
MONTREAL One man is in police custody after one of Montreal s largest synagogues was vandalized with anti-Semitic symbols on Wednesday. Swastikas were painted onto the doors of Westmount s Congregation Shaar Hashomayim. Adam Scheier, the synagogue s rabbi, said the suspect had also brought a gasoline canister with him. I was actually walking to another meeting and was maybe 100 metres away from the synagogue, said Scheier. I quickly turned around and when I got there, the perpetrator had already been put in the back of a police car. The rabbi said he reviewed security footage which showed the man putting the can of gasoline down and [taking] out the spray paint. That was the first thing he did and thankfully the last thing.
Swastikas were painted onto the doors of Westmount s Congregation Shaar Hashomayim. Adam Scheier, the synagogue s rabbi, said the suspect had also brought a gasoline canister with him.