Victoria Police have released CCTV images of a suspect who scrawled vile antisemitic messages on Canada’s oldest synagogue, as hate crimes against Jews remain at record-high levels across the country.
Police in Victoria, British Columbia, are urgently appealing for public assistance in identifying the man behind a brazen antisemitic attack on the historic Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue — a national historic site dating back to 1863.
The suspect, described as a white male with gray hair, was captured on CCTV riding a red bicycle in the early hours of Saturday, August 2. Authorities say he vandalized the synagogue’s exterior walls with disturbing graffiti reading:
“Jews are evil! Because Genocide is evil! In the future, Palestinians will get their revenge against you child-killing Jew monsters.”
Victoria Police confirmed the investigation is being led by their General Investigation Services (GIS) unit in collaboration with the department’s Hate Crimes Coordinator.
“We’ve released CCTV footage… and continue to ask for the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect,” the department stated.
Antisemitism Surging Across Canada
This latest hate crime comes amid a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents nationwide since the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre and the ensuing war in Gaza.
According to Statistics Canada:
- 2024: 920 police-reported antisemitic hate crimes (Jews 25× more likely to be targeted than other Canadians)
- 2023: Record 959 incidents
- 2022: 527 incidents
Jewish advocacy groups warn that antisemitism in Canada has reached alarming, sustained levels, with places of worship increasingly targeted.
