Swastikas spray-painted on Winnipeg synagogue prompts investigation

Winnipeg police are investigating after a synagogue reported that it had been targeted by antisemitic graffiti just hours before the start of the Sabbath.

According to Congregation Shaarey Zedek, located on Wellington Crescent near the Maryland Bridge, surveillance video captured an individual spray-painting swastikas at the entrance of its building on Friday morning.

“We call on all Winnipeggers to stand up against hate,” said Senior Rabbi Carnie Shalom Rose in a post by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA). “What’s at stake is not just the safety of one community, but the future of our Canadian way of life.”

Images posted by the CIJA showed swastikas painted on four window panes and on a wall.

The CIJA said in its post that it was “deeply disturbed” by the incident at the synagogue, which has been in Winnipeg for nearly 140 years.

Gustavo Zentner, the CIJA vice-president for the Prairies, told Global News in an interview that the incident has a bigger impact than just the synagogue.

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“When we see symbols of hate, pure evil, intimidation targeting the Jewish community, we know that this is not only an attack on the Jewish community, but it’s an attack on all Manitobans, on all Canadians,” Zentner said.

“Let me be clear, this isn’t only or just about an attack on the Jewish community, this is a signaling of certain individuals that no one is free in this country to celebrate, to practice their own faith, their own religions, their affinity with community and social institutions.”

Winnipeg police confirmed to Global News on Saturday that the graffiti has been removed and that the incident is under investigation by its major crimes unit.

The synagogue said in a post on Sunday that police were at the building that morning and may return as the investigation continues, but advised that operations will continue and congregants should not be concerned.

Executive Director Rena Secter Elbaze said they would continue to have security on site for Shabbat morning and for events, asking congregants to report anything suspicious to its maintenance department, security officer, and greeters on site.

“In these difficult times, we must not be daunted by this act of Antisemitism. We must, as we have always done, persevere, transcend, and go forward,” Elbaze wrote.

Zentner said he is hopeful that people or a person is charged and the law is applied for the act, but he also called on Manitobans and Canadians as a whole to stand up.

“You don’t have to be Jewish to take a stand under this antisemitic incident on a Jewish synagogue or institution,” he said. “You need to take a stand to protect our Canadian values and not to let any community go through intimidation, being singled out and being expelled, (or) prevented from contributing to the whole of society.”

—with files from Global News’ Hersh Singh

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