Montreal – The Montreal police hate-crime unit has arrested a 16-year-old boy in connection with the burning of Israeli flags taken from a West Island school on Wednesday.
The boy will face charges of theft, arson, and mischief, said Montreal police spokesperson Véronique Dubuc.
“It’s possible that other arrests will eventually be made in this case,” she said.
Security was beefed up around Hebrew Foundation School after the private Jewish elementary school in Dollard-des-Ormeaux was targeted.
A video of the incident, posted by NGO c on social media, shows a young man ripping five flags off a fence outside the school; the flags are then thrown on a fire elsewhere.
The flags were set up outside the school to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Israeli independence. Several thousand Montrealers took part in Israel Day events on Wednesday.
Montreal police quickly called in their hate-crimes unit to investigate. While it has yet to be officially deemed a hate crime, “we take these things very seriously,” a spokesperson said.
