Suspect in Ottawa stabbing of Jewish woman posted antisemitic opinions online
A 71-year-old man was arrested for allegedly stabbing a Jewish woman, also in her 70s, at an Ottawa Kosher grocery store.
A 71-year-old man was arrested for allegedly stabbing a Jewish woman, also in her 70s, at an Ottawa Kosher grocery store.
The incident occurred amidst a consistent yearly rise in antisemitic acts across Canada. The man’s online activity reveals he harboured antisemitic views, believing Jewish people secretly control the world and are collectively guilty.
According to an Ottawa Police release, an elderly woman was stabbed at a grocery store in the 1900 block of Baseline Road in Ottawa’s largest kosher section at approximately 1:35 pm on Wednesday.
“The woman entered the store with a friend. She was approached by a man who stabbed her, leaving her with serious injuries. Police were called, and officers soon arrived, arresting the man without incident,” the police report said. “Store staff assisted the victim, who is in her 70s. She was transported to the hospital by paramedics, was treated and later released from the hospital.”
Police said Thursday the suspect and the victim “were not known to each other prior to the incident,” and they are investigating motives behind the unprovoked assault.
Joseph (Joe) Rooke, 71, of Cornwall, Ontario, was charged with aggravated assault and possession of a deadly weapon. The city’s hate crimes unit is still investigating.
B’nai Brith Canada and Jewish allies online, including former independent MP Kevin Vuong, have shared posts by the alleged attacker showing blatant antisemitism.
His social media is filled with several paragraph-long posts of accusations against Israel, Jewishness, and religion at large.
One such post as archived by B’nai Brith Canada, reads “Jews have become insidious in governments, businesses, media conglomerates, and educational institutions in order to do what they do better than anyone else. Jews are the world’s masters of propaganda, gaslighting, demonization, demagoguery, and outright lying.”
“What has become of our nation? What has become of Canadian values? The Canada that was internationally recognized as a leader in the advancement of human rights, and a land of opportunity, is not the Canada we are living in today,” B’nai Brith said, denouncing the alleged attacker as a “rabid” antisemite. “We are living in the Canada where strangers stab women while they are shopping for groceries, seemingly targeting them because of their religious beliefs.
Another of Rooke’s posts, shared by Vuong on X shows that Rooke said “I am under no obligation whatsoever, legal, moral, or otherwise, to like jews and I do not,” and that he doesn’t care if he’s labelled an antisemite.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs urged the government to act immediately to protect Jewish Canadians and stop the spread of radical antisemitism online and on Canada’s streets.
“We are at a tipping point in Canada: inaction in the face of antisemitism is complicity,” CIJA wrote in a post. “We call on all levels of government to act urgently and decisively to ensure the safety and security of Jewish Canadians. Condemnations are not enough—Canada must take concrete steps to protect its citizens and put an end to the spread of violent antisemitism in our communities.”
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre condemned the attack in a statement on Friday.
“I am outraged by yet another vile antisemitic attack, this time at a grocery store in Ottawa. Targeting people because they are Jewish is disgusting, un-Canadian, and must be met with the full force of the law,” he said in the post. “Jewish Canadians should never have to fear walking into their place of worship, sending their kids to school, or getting groceries.”
He called on the prime minister to ensure “serious consequences” for those who commit or incite antisemitic crimes, stronger hate crime laws and the deportation of non-Canadians who “come here to spread hatred.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford also condemned the attack.
“I’m deeply disturbed by the violent attack that took place this week against a Jewish woman at an Ottawa grocery store. My thoughts are with the victim as well as Ottawa’s Jewish community. I pray she makes a full recovery,” Ford said. “The Ottawa Police’s hate crimes unit has my full support as they carry out their investigation into this attack. Hate, violence and antisemitism have no place in our province.”
