(JEWISH GROUP) Knife attack on Jewish woman in her 70s was hate-motivated crime, Ottawa police say

An Ontario man has been charged with what police say appears to be a hate-motivated attack after he stabbed a Jewish woman in an Ottawa grocery store known for its large selection of kosher food.

The victim, a woman in her 70s, was taken to the hospital with “serious injuries,” according to police, and was treated and released later the same day. The Jewish Federation of Ottawa called the victim “a cherished member of our community,” and said she is “recovering.”

The suspect, who was charged with aggravated assault and possessing a dangerous weapon, has been identified by police as Joseph Rooke, a 71-year-old man who lives in nearby Cornwall, Ontario.

A Facebook profile with matching details has posted numerous antisemitic and anti-Israel messages.

One post asked whether the loyalties of Prime Minister Mark Carney and other Members of Parliament are “grounded in the ludicrousness of judaism and all the absurdities in the lies that formed the foundation of jewish belief and ethos?”

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