A Jewish congregant in Vaughan, Canada was assaulted after a man attempted to force his way into a local synagogue on Saturday. According to York Regional Police and the Sephardic Kehila Centre, the suspect, who was not known to the congregation, tried to enter the building but admitted he was not there to attend prayer services. Security personnel denied him entry due to suspicious behavior.

After leaving the synagogue, the man allegedly blocked a congregant who was walking with his son to attend services and punched him in the face. The victim did not suffer serious injuries. Police said their hate crime unit is investigating the incident and asked anyone with information to come forward.

Rabbi David Kadoch said the attack was a clear assault and expressed concern about what he described as increasingly common attacks against the Jewish community. Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca called the incident disturbing and said protecting Jewish residents is a top priority, while several federal lawmakers and Jewish organizations urged that the perpetrator be prosecuted and warned against the normalization of antisemitic violence.