Woman injured in antisemitic stabbing attack in Ottawa
Canadian police have confirmed that a 71-year-old woman injured in a stabbing attack at a supermarket in Ottawa was the victim of an antisemitic assault. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday, has sparked widespread condemnation from political leaders.
According to police, the victim was shopping with a friend in a store known for its large kosher section when she was suddenly attacked by an unknown man. She was taken to hospital with injuries but discharged later the same day.
The suspect, also 71 years old, was arrested at the scene and initially charged with aggravated assault. On Friday, investigators announced that, following a detailed inquiry, the case is being treated as a hate-motivated crime.
Prime Minister Mark Carney denounced the stabbing as a “senseless attack” and assured Canada’s Jewish community of his government’s support. “You are not alone,” he wrote on social media. “We stand united against hate and antisemitism wherever it emerges.”
Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre urged the government to strengthen hate crime legislation and expel non-citizens who spread hatred. “We must eradicate the rising scourge of antisemitism in Canada. ‘Never again’ must truly mean never again,” he posted.
Ottawa’s mayor, Mark Sutcliffe, acknowledged that the attack caused deep distress among the city’s Jewish community and announced increased police patrols in sensitive neighborhoods.
The assault comes amid a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents in Canada since the outbreak of the Israel–Gaza war in October 2023. Synagogues and Jewish schools, particularly in Montreal, have been targeted with Molotov cocktails.
Official figures show that in 2024, hate crimes and antisemitic offenses increased for the sixth consecutive year, reaching 4,882 incidents. Of the 1,343 cases classified as “religion-motivated,” 920 — nearly 68% — targeted the Jewish community.
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