Police arrest man after burning of Israeli flag at Hampstead town hall
Posted August 27, 2025 10:47 am.
Last Updated August 27, 2025 5:08 pm.
Montreal police (SPVM) arrested a suspect after the Israeli flag at Hampstead town hall was set on fire Monday.
Frédéric Biron Carmel, 39, was arrested Tuesday in Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension.
A search of a home led police to seize “various pieces of evidence,” according to the SPVM.
Biron Carmel has been charged with four offences including, being motivated by prejudice or hatred to commit crimes against a property, inciting hatred against an identifiable group by communicating in a public space, likely to result in a breach of the peace. He intentionally or recklessly causing damage by fire or explosion to property that did not belong to him in its entirety, namely: flags and possessing incendiary materials, incendiary devices, or explosive substances with the intent to commit an indictable offence.
He appeared in court Wednesday afternoon and was released with several conditions, including: a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew; staying 500 meters from Hampstead town hall; and he cannot mention directly or indirectly the charges on any social media; or access an account or use directly or indirectly any social media.
Police say first responders were called Monday around 7 a.m. for a fire in front of the building on Queen Mary Road.
They say the flag was set ablaze, but there was no damage to the building itself, and no injuries were reported.
Authorities allege the same flag was the target of arson by the same suspect three days earlier – on Aug. 22.
The SPVM’s hate incidents and crimes unit helped with the investigation.
They confirm to CityNews that since the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, to July 31 of this year, there has been 284 hate crimes and incidents targeting the Jewish community and 86 against the Arab-Muslim community.
Hampstead Mayor Jeremy Levi took to social media denouncing the act. “Today, we raise a flag twice the size — a banner of defiance, strength, and unbreakable unity. We will never bow. We will never break.”
Biron Carmel will be back in court Oct. 24.
