Anti-Palestinian Graffiti at Montreal Mosque Sparks Hate Crime Investigation

IQNA – Montreal police have launched an investigation through their hate crimes unit after anti-Palestinian graffiti was discovered at a mosque in the city’s downtown earlier this week.

The vandalism occurred Tuesday evening at The Canadian Institute of Islamic Civilization, located at the corner of Belmont Street and Union Avenue.

Phrases including "F*** Gaza" were spray-painted multiple times across the building’s exterior walls.

The Muslim Association of Canada, which oversees the mosque, confirmed that no one was physically harmed in the incident. The organization described the graffiti as part of a broader pattern and is urging authorities to address a growing overlap between Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian sentiment, particularly amid the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza.

"It reflects a dangerous national climate in which mosques, Muslims, Palestinians, and Canadians who speak out for Gaza are increasingly targeted and vilified," the association said in a statement.

Montreal police reported that they are reviewing surveillance footage as part of the investigation, and no arrests have been made as of yet, CBC News reported.

According to the police department’s most recent annual report, the number of reported hate crimes and hate-motivated incidents in the city increased in 2024. The majority of these cases were related to ethnicity, national origin, skin colour, and religion.

Source: Agencies