Quebec Police Arrest 9 Youths for Shabbat Attacks on Hasidim

A prompt response by police to four attacks on Shabbat eve on members of the Hasidic community here has resulted in the arrest of nine youths, all from the area.

The attacks, all perpetrated in the Outremont municipality near Montreal, began at about 10:15 p.m. Oct. 26, while the Hasidic community was celebrating Shabbat. A youth gang attacked at least nine individuals in several areas, all Hasidic males between 20 and 47 years old. The victims were kicked and pushed, their shtreimels, or traditional fur hats, knocked off and stolen and their eyeglasses broken.

Witnesses say the van drove through Outremont searching for Hasidic Jews, easily identifiable from their distinctive garb. Outremont has approximately 2,500 Hasidic residents.

The police arrests, said to be the first apprehension of persons involved in a racially motivated attack on Montreal’s Jewish community, was announced by the Quebec Region of B’nai Brith Canada’s League for Human Rights at a news conference on Wednesday.

The victims had immediately notified the police and B’nai Brith Canada Quebec Region. B’nai Brith League for Human Rights at a news conference on Wednesday.

The victims had immediately notified the police and B’nai Brith Canada Quebec Region. B’nai Brith officials urged them to press charges, which was done immediately after Shabbat.

Police, who were aided by the B’nai Brith decision not to make a public announcement until the news conference, were able to trace the van’s license number.

FRENCH-SPEAKING YOUTHS

One male youth was immediately arrested, followed by the apprehension of six other boys and two girls. Their identities cannot be revealed because they are under 18.

The alleged perpetrators are from Quebec’s St. Jean d’Iberville region and are French-speaking, according to Lt. Detective Pierre Bernaquez of the Montreal Urban Community Police, who is heading the investigation.

It is not believed that they are members of any Skinhead or other white supremacist groups, which are suspected of having committed a series of acts of racist vandalism in Montreal in the last seven months.

Among the crimes for which white supremacists are believed responsible are the spraying of swastikas and Nazi slogans on gravestones in Montreal’s Jewish cemetery in April, and the burning and vandalizing in June of a yeshiva and synagogue in Outremont.

The youths who allegedly attacked the Hasidim on Shabbat “were apparently at a party and got drunk,” said Bernaquez.

It is presently known that the first youth arrested had no prior arrests, and did not have a shaven head, “which is why we don’t think that he is part of any Skinhead group,” said Bernaquez. “We will, however, be investigating this possibility further.”

Solomon Feldman, one of those attacked, appeared at the news conference to answer questions. He said that he left his house at about 10:15 Friday night, en route to a celebration at a nearby synagogue, when he was detained.

“A van pulled up, stopped, and three or four boys jumped out. I ignored them, but they blocked my way on either side,” he said. “They then shoved me, tripped me and hit me in the face, all the time screaming something without any words I could make out. Then they drove off.”

Feldman said that he tried to note the license plate number, but the van’s lights were off. He was able to summon police by asking his son to set off a “panic button” in his home.

Outremont resident Alex Wertzberger also made an appearance on behalf of his son-in-law, another assault victim.

Others who took part in the news conference included Professor Steven Scheinberg, chairman of the League for Human Rights, Quebec Region: Professor Julien Bauer, an executive member of the League; and Magali Marc, B’nai Brith Canada Quebec Region director of communications.

The purpose of the news conference, said Scheinberg, “is to stop the spread of further rumors about the incident and also to give the Jewish community of Outremont a greater feeling of security as Jews.”