Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The Yeshiva Gedola School on Deacon Road in Côte des Neiges-NDG was fired upon for the second time in four days.

A nearby resident told The Suburban that he was awakened by four shots at around 4:45 a.m. Sunday Nov. 12. Police were called at 5 a.m. by several residents, and a vehicle was seen fleeing the scene. We saw officers questioning nearby residents.

The first shooting at the school was on Thursday. A second shooting that day took place at United Talmud Torah. This followed violence against Jewish students at Concordia and firebombings at Beth Tikvah and Federation CJA’s West Island headquarters in Dollard des Ormeaux.

There have been police and hired security presence around the school, in recent days, including during a recent event.

In the morning, the entire area around Deacon was surrounded by police tape, from the corner of Lajoie to Van Horne, and from Lajoie and De Vimy to Van Horne. Access from a palliative care centre from Deacon to DeVimy was also blocked. The tape was removed early in the afternoon.

SPVM spokesperson Caroline Chevrefils said that nobody was in the building when the shots were fired, near the intersection of Deacon and Van Horne. Police located a projectile in the front of the building, and other shell casings were found.

Former CDN-NDG councillor Lionel Perez, speaking for the school, said the shooting was a “terrorist act.

“Their objective is terrorize, to stop our prime mission, which is to educate kids, and they will fail! This second incident demonstrates the gravity of the situation and escalation, and we’re counting on the police to redouble their efforts to ensure the safety and security of our school, of our children and our community. We ask our elected officials to continue condemning. We appreciate their support, but they have to ensure the SPVM has all the means necessary for them to do their job and condemn any and all hate speech in society.”

This reporter, who lives on the street, noted that police and a security vehicle had been on the street almost constantly in recent days. We asked if either had been on the street at the time of the incident. Perez responded that he would not get into details.

“All I can say is that that there have been specific security measures that have been put in place after the first attack, and we will let the police continue their investigation.”

Mayor Valérie Plante appeared on the scene later in the morning, as did Eta Yudin, VP for Quebec of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, Federation CJA CEO and president Yair Szlak, Côte des Neiges-NDG Mayor Gracia Kasoki Katahwa; Henry Topas, Quebec regional director of B’nai Brith Canada; and Snowdon councillor Sonny Moroz, amongst others.

“Violence has no place in our democracy!” Plante said to a phalanx of reporters. “We’re talking about an establishment where kids are attending! This is not the Montreal we want! We can disagree, we can think out loud, we can protest. It’s a complex conflict that is happening [between Israel and Hamas], absolutely, but we can have those conversations with respect, and not using fear and not having this kind of violent act towards the Jewish community! That is wrong! My message to those who think this is a way to spread a message, it is not! I get messages from all kinds of people from different religions in Montreal, and nobody accepts this, nobody wants it, nobody will say it’s okay!”

Plante said for those committing such acts, “the SPVM is working really hard, and we will find them!”

Yudin, of CIJA, said “We have been saying for weeks that the antisemitism and incitement to hatred being heard at rallies in the streets of Montreal will lead to action if unchecked. This is no longer discussion about free speech. Those responsible must be held accountable. The SPVM needs more resources. We thank all those who have spoken out today and condemned these incidents, including our Premier, Prime Minister and Mayor and many other leaders across the political spectrum.”

Federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre tweeted Sunday morning, “terrorists again fired bullets at a Montreal Jewish school overnight. The government must take concrete action immediately to protect Canada’s Jewish community from the heinous acts of antisemitic violence and intimidation.”

For all of Nov. 12, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had not posted a reaction, but he did retweet a post from MP Karina Gould, saying “I am horrified to learn of another incident of gunshots fired at the same Jewish school in Montreal early this morning. Thank goodness no one was harmed, but this threatening antisemitic violence cannot go on.”

Premier François Legault tweeted, “every effort will be made to find and punish the culprits. The Quebec nation is peaceful. Let’s not import the hatred and violence that we see elsewhere in the world.”

Mount Royal MP Anthony Housefather tweeted, “this kind of antisemitic act cannot be allowed to become the new normal. Jews have every right to live safely in this country. And it is hard to believe that this level of violence is not directly traceable to the incitement to hate happening at demonstrations. Police need to act.”

B’nai Brith Canada posted, “we are aware of yet another shooting at a Montreal Yeshiva, the same one that was targeted by gunfire last week. Police in Montreal are investigating. We are deeply disturbed and are on the scene to assist.” n