Popular kosher restaurant in Montreal destroyed in apparent arson attack

National Post
The Montreal police arson squad are investigating an apparent attack on a popular kosher restaurant in the city on Friday night.
A Montreal kosher restaurant has been destroyed in what a local MP calls an apparent arson attack.
MP Andrew Housefather says the fire at Nöam Restaurant “must be investigated as a hate crime.”
Police spokesperson Raphaël Bergeron told the Montreal Gazette that someone was seen leaving the premises shortly after the fire began and the case has been transferred to the arson squad.

Firefighters were called around 3:15 a.m. to the blaze, according to Bergeron. The building, which housed Nöam, which was a kosher restaurant serving Mediterranean, Italian and international dishes, sustained major damage before firefighters brought it under control.

Bergeron said investigators have yet to establish a motive.
The fire was captured in video posted to X by Montreal resident and senior fellow at the Tel Aviv Institute. He wrote that police “are investigating a possible suspect seen walking away from the scene. We can’t say for sure the motive was antisemitic yet, but the signs certainly suggest it.”
https://twitter.com/HenMazzig/status/2083588639691297227
Earlier Saturday, Montreal newspaper columnist and city councillor Mike Cohen reported on X “(w)hat can only be described as a major hate crime” at the popular Montreal kosher restaurant. It has “been burnt the ground,” Cohen said.

His report was reposted on X by Montreal MP and p arliamentary secretary to the Minister of Emergency Management, Andrew Housefather.

Housefather wrote in a Saturday morning X post that he is “a bsolutely disgusted to see what appears to be an arson attack on a local kosher restaurant overnight. This attack on a Jewish own business must be investigated as a hate crime & those involved in this criminal act must be caught & prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Cohen also posted his report on Instagram .

“Arson is a crime. Antisemitism is a hate crime,” Montreal city councillor Leslie Roberts posted on X Saturday morning.

The popular restaurant is open every night except Friday and on Sunday for brunch, according to The Montrealer . “There are only 60 seats and reservations are strongly recommended,” it said in a recent report.

National Post has reached out to the Montreal Police service for further details.

-More to come

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