Police investigate home break-in 'targeting' Jewish community members as a hate crime

Hamilton police say a 22-year-old man has been arrested after a break-in at a home in the Westdale neighbourhood, in an incident they're investigating as a hate crime.

Police say the break-in occurred Tuesday at roughly 12:40 p.m. ET near Haddon Avenue South and Main Street West, and was "targeting members of the Jewish community."

Spokesperson Jackie Penman told CBC Hamilton the accused removed a Star of David from the window and proceeded to destroy it.

She said officers arrested him without incident near the home. Penman added the man is known to police.

"Hamilton police are working with the victims, the Jewish Federation of Hamilton and community members to ensure their safety," read a media release from police.

CBC Hamilton has contacted the federation for more details.

The man has been charged with break and enter, and for disobeying a court order.

This comes while police investigate a separate incident, where a man reportedly wrote anti-Semitic messages around the city's core with black marker.

The city saw a record number of hate crimes in 2021.

Hamilton Police Services recorded 21 hate crimes last year — more than 2019, 2018 and 2017 combined.

Police also said there were 108 reported hate incidents (87 of which weren't considered crimes), a 35 per cent increase from 2020. But the figure is around average when compared to past years.

Almost all reported local hate crimes and incidents last year in Hamilton targeted Black, Jewish, Muslim and LGBTQ communities.

The rise in hate incidents is part of a national trend, with Statistics Canada data showing 3,360 of them across the country compared to 2,073 in 2017.