B’nai Brith Canada has expressed its anger after the discovery of large swastikas engraved on the ice of a skating rink in Ville Mont-Royal, located on the island of Montreal, in Quebec, reported the Canadian press.
“It is alarming to see the ice rink, such a fundamental symbol of Canadian identity and winter fun that draws children and families to be sullied by symbols of hatred,” said Michael Mostyn, leader of B’nai Brith Canada, in a press release.
“This repugnant act of anti-Semitism must be condemned by all, and we hope that the perpetrators will be identified and held accountable,” he added.
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A video posted on social media by a member of the Jewish community who visited the rink showed at least four swastikas on the surface of the rink.
“It is alarming to see the rink, such a fundamental symbol of Canadian identity and of winter fun that attracts children and families, to be sullied by symbols of hate,” said@MichaelMostyn https://t.co/WZM61n06Jj
– B’nai Brith Canada (@bnaibrithcanada) December 30, 2021
B’nai Brith Canada reported the incident to the Montreal Police Department’s Hate Crimes Unit. Peter Malouf, Mayor of Mont-Royal, has opened an investigation.
“Tuesday’s incident is far from being the first anti-Semitic outrage involving sports facilities in Canada,” the association said. Last August, players from a Toronto-area Jewish baseball league discovered a giant swastika traced in the sand on a baseball field where they were scheduled to play.
The city of Toronto experienced several anti-Semitic acts last May, during the conflict between the terrorist group Hamas and Israel.
According to a census, 143,665 Jews lived in Canada in 2016.
