Montreal police tighten security as anniversary of Israel-Hamas war approaches

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The Montreal police force is stepping up their presence throughout the city, particularly close to Jewish and Arab-Muslim institutions as the one-year anniversary of the start of the Israel-Hamas war looms on Monday.

“We want the public to know we are aware of their concerns and taking them seriously,” said assistant director Vincent Richer, head of the organizational services division.

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A visibility plan was put in place Oct. 1, increasing police presence throughout the city. Undercover police officers are also patrolling.

Police will also be keeping a close eye on protests planned for the next few days. Montreal police have so far monitored 325 demonstrations in connection with the conflict, most of them peaceful, police said. More than 100 arrests were made during the protests.

As well, more than 288 possible hate crimes were reported over the last year, resulting in 41 arrests, said chief inspector Mohammed Aziz Bouhdid, responsible for the western region of Montreal.

Threats of violence had already increased in Montreal in the days and weeks preceding the anniversary. Montreal police arrested five people, including three minors, who were found near a synagogue in Côte-St-Luc with incendiary material early Wednesday morning. Police are investigating whether their motive may have been linked to the conflict in the Middle East.

Police say the call alerting them to the possible threat came around 15 minutes after officers stopped another vehicle in the neighbouring Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough and also found incendiary items inside. A 16-year-old and two 17-year-olds were arrested, police say.

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The suspects have been released with a promise to appear in court.

On Aug. 21, Montreal police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police launched investigations after a threatening email was sent to more than 100 Jewish institutions across Canada, including several synagogues in Montreal. The email was sent around 5 a.m., warning the institutions that explosives had been placed in black backpacks and would be set off in a matter of hours.

“You will all end up in a pool of blood, none of you deserve to keep living,” the email read.

It was sent to synagogues in Hampstead, Westmount, St-Laurent, Dollard-des-Ormeaux and Côte-St-Luc, among other places.

The RCMP said members of the public who are in immediate danger should call 911 or contact local police. Information can also be submitted to the RCMP National Security Information Network by phone at 1-800-420-5805 or online at rcmp.ca/report-it.

Montreal police said this month they will be particularly visible in the days before Oct. 7, the first anniversary of the Hamas rampage in Israel that killed more than 1,200 people and during which more than 250 were kidnapped, and the beginning of Israel’s military retaliation for the attack that has killed tens of thousands more and displaced nearly 2 million Palestinians.

Synagogues and Jewish schools in Montreal have been targeted with Molotov cocktails and gunshots in the last year.

rbruemmer@postmedia.com

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