Montreal police have arrested a 24-year-old man in connection with the assault of a Jewish man at Dickie Moore Park in the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough. The incident occurred on August 8 around 2:20 p.m. and was partially captured on video, leading to public outrage as footage circulated showing the victim being attacked in front of his children.

The police confirmed the arrest on Monday following an intensive investigation. The suspect is currently being questioned, and the case will be forwarded to the Quebec Crown prosecutor's office for potential charges. In a statement, the police department expressed gratitude to the community members who provided information that aided in locating the suspect. "The SPVM has spared no effort to locate the suspect and is continuing its investigation to shed full light on the circumstances of this criminal act," the statement read.

The assault began when the victim, who was with his young children, arrived at the park. According to police, the suspect approached the victim in the splash pad area and sprayed him with water from a bottle. When the victim attempted to engage with the suspect, he was allegedly pushed to the ground and repeatedly punched in the face. The attack continued until the suspect fled the scene on foot.

A 28-second video of the incident shows the assailant straddling the victim and striking him while he is on the ground. The victim, dressed in traditional Jewish attire, is seen trying to get up while one of his children clings to him. The video concludes with the suspect picking up items from a grocery bag and throwing what appears to be a kippah, a Jewish head covering, into the splash pad area.

Rabbi Saul Emanuel, executive director of the Jewish Community Council of Montreal, condemned the attack as a hate crime. "This was not just an assault. It was a public act of antisemitic humiliation designed to terrorize an entire community," he stated. Emanuel also criticized the police response time, claiming it took nearly an hour for officers to arrive after the initial call for help. Constable Jean-Pierre Brabant, a spokesperson for the SPVM, stated that the response time was less than an hour but could not provide further details due to the ongoing investigation.

The victim, who is 32 years old, was hospitalized with a broken nose following the attack. Mayer Feig, an activist and spokesperson for Montreal’s Hasidic community, expressed relief at the arrest, stating, "It’s a relief to the community and relief to the victim. He’s very, very traumatized and so are his kids."

Prime Minister Mark Carney also addressed the incident, calling it "an appalling act of violence" and affirming that everyone in Canada has the right to live in safety. The investigation remains active as police continue to gather information regarding the circumstances surrounding the assault.