Police arrest man after hate symbols painted on Winnipeg synagogue, mosque and homes
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WINNIPEG – Police have made an arrest after swastikas and other material were spray-painted on a mosque, a synagogue, a high school, vehicles, homes and other structures in areas west and southwest of downtown Winnipeg.
A 34-year-old man faces 14 counts of mischief. Hate-crime charges have not been laid, but the Winnipeg Police Service said that could change as the investigation continues.
“We now have to look at the motivation behind this,” Insp. Jen McKinnon of the major crimes unit said Friday.
“We are consulting with Manitoba Prosecutions on this and we’ll be continuing that investigation, and those charges can be considered once we come to the end of that.”
The graffiti was done within the space of a few hours early on Jan. 2, although some of it was discovered later.
Among the buildings vandalized with swastikas was Manitoba’s oldest synagogue, Shaarey Zedek, and the Abu Bakr Al-Siddique mosque and community centre. Kelvin High School was also hit, and police reported a hate symbol painted at the entrance of a park.
Politicians, community leaders and others condemned the crimes in the days that followed, and news of the arrest was welcomed.
“We commend authorities for their swift work and expect criminals to be held accountable to the full extent of the law,” Gustavo Zentner, a vice-president with the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, said in a press release. “This is essential in deterring violent extremists and safeguarding the future for all Canadians.”
Winnipeg has seen an increase in reports of hate crimes since the Hamas attack in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, McKinnon said, although statistics for 2025 have not yet been compiled.
“I think it’s fair to say since Oct. 7 in 2023, I think we’ve all seen an uptick in incidents,” she said.
The accused had previous contact with police but nothing related to this kind of crime, McKinnon said. He has been released on an undertaking.
Police are also investigating vandalism and a threatening message scrawled at a Middle Eastern restaurant on Sunday, which they say was not related.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 9, 2026.