Winnipeg Police Investigate Two Possible Hate-motivated Crimes

For nan past 5 years, Ali Zeid has owned Habibiz Cafe connected Portage Avenue.

Since opening, Zeid says nan organization has welcomed nan Muslim-owned business, but imaginable hate-motivated vandalism astatine nan restaurant, reported connected Sunday, has been distressing, he says.

“We sewage present astatine astir 9 a.m., sewage a mates calls from nan guys that came to work,” explains Zeid. “Our beforehand windows were vandalized, smashed pinch a hammer, and they near a dislike missive indicating get retired of our country, you don’t beryllium here.”

The proprietor said nan beforehand model of nan business was deed 3 times pinch a hammer early that morning, pinch nan missive near astatine their beforehand door. The incident has near nan owners, unit and their family members fearful.

Since nan vandalism, Zeid says nan cafe has received an outpouring of support online.

“It tin scare nan community, but what I’ve seen from nan past 24 hours is that nan organization sticks together. They’re strong, they’re loving, they’re pinch us, opinionated beside us. It makes america want to do much for nan community, not conscionable hide and beryllium scared. The organization together is strong.”

A abstracted incident connected Friday greeting targeted Congregation Shaarey Zedek, a synagogue pinch a astir 140-year history successful Winnipeg. Members opportunity they person surveillance video showing an individual spray-painting swastikas astatine nan entranceway of nan building.

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Despite nan incident, astir 200 group attended nan Sabbath nan adjacent day. Executive head Rena Secter Elbaze says she believes that sent a powerful message.

“This was an enactment meant to intimidate and frighten, truthful what we person to do is show up, we person to fto group cognize we person our rightful spot successful nan organization that we want to lend to. People did show up Saturday morning, group who hadn’t moreover been for a while, they came.”

The Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) confirmed nan graffiti has since been removed and that nan Major Crimes Unit is investigating some incidents. Police are asking anyone pinch accusation to interaction them.

“If we don’t know, we can’t do thing astir them,” says WPS Major Crimes Unit Insp. Jen McKinnon. “We request group to travel forward. We request to guidelines together arsenic Winnipeggers and return corporate action successful doing thing astir this. We do not judge this successful Winnipeg.”

WPS tracks hate-related crimes, pinch caller statistic showing an increase. In 2022, 28 hate-related crimes were reported. That number jumped to 44 successful 2024. Police statement that nan existent number of specified incidents whitethorn beryllium higher than what is reported to them.