Jewish Man Wearing Kippah Assaulted By Taxi Driver In Montreal

Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
(JTA) — A Jewish man wearing a yarmulke was assaulted by a taxi driver in Montreal.
The taxi driver was blocking the door to an underground garage at a condo building Sunday in the Saint-Laurent borough of Montreal. When the driver of a car honked to signal that he should move away from the door, the taxi driver apparently noted the other driver’s kippah and shouted, “I won’t move for any f***|ing Jews!” He also threatened to kill the other driver.
The victim then attempted to photograph the taxi number in order to file a complaint, at which point the driver exited his car and punched the Jewish man repeatedly and shouted anti-Semitic slurs until a parking supervisor intervened, B’nai Brith Canada said in a statement. The victim’s phone also was smashed. The victim required attention at a local hospital.
Much of the incident was captured on a security camera.
A woman who intervened was reportedly struck by the taxi driver.
“This is a shocking anti-Semitic hate crime, in which someone could have been gravely injured or even killed,” said Michael Mostyn, Chief Executive Officer of B’nai Brith Canada.
Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.
I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.
The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.
— Joel Brown, Forward board chair
