The Calgary Police Service’s hate crime prevention team is investigating a Jewish building in the city being targeted.
Police said it responded to the Calgary Jewish Community Centre at 2:20 p.m. for multiple reports of a man shouting anti-Semitic profanities and causing a disturbance.
Police and social media posts said the JCC’s van and other vehicles were egged, and a JCC staff member was seen cleaning eggs off of the Holocaust memorial monument and at the building.
Rabbi Menachem Matusof with Chabad Lubavitch of Alberta said the incident targeting a Jewish centre was “unfortunately, expected.”
“I don’t pray for peace. I pray for security, then peace,” Matusof said.
On Wednesday, police released a description and CCTV images of the man they said fled the scene prior to officers arriving. Police hope members of the public can help identify the man.
The man is described as around 20 to 30 years old, with a slim build, wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, a black backpack and white running shoes.
“We are concerned with what he did: it was so brazen, in the middle of the afternoon. It was a busy parking lot, lots of people around,” Const. Matt Messenger, CPS hate crimes coordinator, said.
“Somebody knows who did this. They know who he is. We’re asking for the public’s assistance to help us locate this individual and help put the community’s mind at ease.”
Anyone with information is asked to call CPS at 403-266-1234. Anonymous tips can be provided to Crime Stoppers.
Messenger said while geopolitical events can give rise to hate incidents in Calgary, the Jewish community has been a constant target of hate-motivated crimes and hate incidents.
“The Jewish community is always something we see trickle in. There’s been a small spike in the last week, which is understandable, given what’s happening overseas,” Messenger said.
Wednesday evening, Chabad’s Calgary campus is hosting an “Evening of Unity, Prayer and Strength.”
“We had a tremendous outcry and requests from members in the community to get together for an evening of prayer and encouragement,” Matusof said. “People who are requesting different things in good times and in bad times like now are reaching out.”
David Wallach recently returned to Calgary after being caught in the early days of the Israel-Hamas war.
“The whole experience of the sirens, the rockets that fell near us, and you know, how we help there… that’s the presentation that I’m going to have tonight,” he said.
Wallach said he hopes his speech at the Chabad event spreads a moderating message.
“Now it’s time to put all disputes aside and just become one and help those in need. And hopefully the other side will get it as well, the same message, because right now, the people that suffer are people that didn’t want this to happen on both sides,” he said.
The Chabad Lubavitch event has hired security in response to an apparent increase in open anti-Semitic sentiment, Matusof said.
“Anti-Semitism and hatred is unfortunately alive here as well,” the rabbi said. “We still have evil people who have no other intentions other than hurting people.
“And so we must have security, unfortunately. Very unfortunate, but we must have it.
“Are we scared? No.”
Wallach said discriminatory beliefs like anti-Semitism could lead to greater societal damage, if left to fester.
“It’s something we have to deal with as a society, not just not just the Jewish community has to deal with it. The society at large has to deal with it,” he said. “It’s something that if you let it grow, it will hurt the entire society, not just one portion of the society.”
Last week, CPS stepped up patrols near local places of worship and other areas of significance, as well as setting up its mobile command vehicle downtown, in response to concerns from the community amid escalations in the Israel-Hamas war.
On Sunday, police said it proactively responded to demonstrations in reaction to the ongoing Middle East conflict throughout the weekend. CPS said no incidents came directly from those peaceful protests, but some traffic-related tickets were issued.
Comments