Second person charged for antisemitic graffiti on Halifax synagogues

Police have arrested a second person in connection with antisemitic graffiti on Halifax synagogues.

A second person has been charged with public incitement of hatred in connection to antisemitic graffiti on three Halifax synagogues last month.

Russell Jared Currie, 32, was arrested on Tuesday, according to a news release from Halifax Regional Police. He is set to appear in court to face charges of:

• public incitement of hatred
• three counts of mischief related to religious property
• three counts of property damage

Halifax police responded to six incidents of graffiti in the city on Sept. 14. They said three of the incidents involved graffiti written directly on synagogues while the other three were scrawled on nearby sidewalks.

A swastika symbol was spraypainted over a sign at the Shaar Shalom Synagogue entrance. The exterior of the Beth Israel Synagogue was defaced with graffiti referencing Jewish people and 9/11.

Following an investigation, police arrested Gezim Topalli, 31, on Sept. 17. He faces the same charges as Currie.

With files from CTV News Atlantic’s Andrea Jerrett

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