A Hasidic Jewish community in Val David, 90 kilometres north of Montreal, has been the victim of house fires that the Quebec provincial police calls suspicious.
Police had increased its patrols in the area following a blaze that destroyed a rabbi’s summer house and another, smaller house fire nearby earlier this month.
The chairman of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Victor Goldbloom, said he understands police must be cautious before calling the events hate crimes. But he said, “to any objective observer, it’s hard to draw any other conclusion.One has to conclude that this just can’t be a coincidence and that there is a planned, systematic attempt to harm and scare the community.”
Source: www.canada.com
Date: June 18, 2007
By Dominique Blain
