Halifax police lay charges for hateful graffiti painted on synagogues | Unpublished
Hello!
Source Feed: National Post
Author: Chris Lambie
Publication Date: September 17, 2025 - 10:43

Halifax police lay charges for hateful graffiti painted on synagogues

September 17, 2025

Halifax Regional Police have charged a 31-year-old man with public incitement of hatred after an investigation into six antisemitic graffiti messages painted last weekend on three Jewish sites.

They arrested Gezim Topalli Tuesday at his Halifax home. He’s slated to appear in Halifax provincial court Wednesday on three counts of mischief related to religious property, three counts of property damage and public incitement of hatred.

Topalli allegedly sprayed a swastika on the Shaar Shalom synagogue, on Oxford Street, overnight last Saturday. He also allegedly painted graffiti on the Beth Israel synagogue, a few blocks away. A nearby building associated with the Chabad-Lubavitch of the Maritimes Rohr Family Institute was also defaced

A nearby building associated with the Chabad-Lubavitch of the Maritimes Rohr Family Institute was also defaced with the words “Jews did 9/11.”

The incidents happened after days of protests in the city against Israeli participation in the Davis Cup tennis tournament.

“I am pleased with the outcome of this investigation. While I credit the quick and thorough work of HRP’s hate crime investigator, I also want to thank the public who came forward to help identify the suspect,” HRP Chief Don MacLean said in a written statement. “The swift and seamless collaboration between police and the community represents our city taking a strong and unified stance against the promotion of hatred.”

Police urge “anyone exposed to behaviour that is offensive, threatening or intimidating” to call them at 902-490-5020, said a news release.

“Even if the investigation does not find criminal wrongdoing, it is important to have it on record.”

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.



Unpublished Newswire

 
A Minnesota court requested the arrest of a Canadian resident this month so he can stand trial in the U.S. after he allegedly helped with the 2022 cross-border smuggling of an Indian family of four who froze to death in Manitoba. U.S. authorities were concerned that Fenil Patel, 37, who also goes by the name Fenilkumar Kantilal Patel, would flee Canada – possibly to India – according to new court documents filed in Ontario and Minnesota, verified by The Globe and Mail.
September 17, 2025 - 17:55 | Temur Durrani | The Globe and Mail
A 26-year-old Ottawa man has been released on bail after allegedly uttering a threat to cause death to the musical artist Morrissey ahead of his appearance at CityFolk last week. Read More
September 17, 2025 - 17:50 | Nicholas Kohler | Ottawa Citizen
A law professor at the University of Alberta has been placed on non-disciplinary leave while the university conducts a review of online comments made in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s murder. Law students were notified about the leave in an email from faculty dean, Fiona Kelly. However, the...
September 17, 2025 - 17:48 | Stewart Lewis | National Post