Mimimelon, a Kosher bakery in Montreal’s Saint-Laurent borough, was targeted by alleged arsonists for the second time in two days. The damage to Jennie Volfson’s business early Wednesday morning is considered a complete loss. “It’s horrible. It’s destructive. It’s offensive. We feel vulnerable,” the bakery’s co-owner told CTV News. “We feel scared. There’s no words to explain.” The Montreal police (SPVM) hate crimes unit is investigating as the business “has ties to the Jewish community.” Police say they received a 911 call at 12:30 a.m. about the incident on Saint-Louis Street. “When police officers and firefighters arrived, the fire was raging inside the premises,” said Raphaël Bergeron, a spokesperson with Montreal police. “Some objects were found on the scene that led us to believe it was an arson.” Bergeron explained that damage to the building is considered major, noting that the night before, at 11:30 p.m., an “attempted arson was also committed at that place.” “It was like a scene of a nightmare. By the time I got here, it was just all up in flames and the firefighters fought for like, hours that were here,” Volfson said. She said it’s normally a quiet area, but says recently some businesses in the plaza have been damaged by graffiti and broken windows. Then, in September, she recalls a disturbing incident when a man opened the bakery door. “He just screamed out, ‘All the Jews will burn,’ and he took off running,” she recalled. She didn’t report it to police at the time, but says she filled them in today. Montreal police are looking at security cameras, speaking to neighbouring businesses, and are asking anyone with information to contact Info-Crime Montreal at 514-393-1133. In the meantime, Volfson and her family are waiting for the assessment from their insurer so they can clean up and rebuild. “[There are] 22 employees in my building that we provide for. I don’t know how I’m going to provide for my family … we’ve lost everything. We’ve lost everything,” she said. In a social media post, Mimimelon said it was “heartbroken” by the tragedy and could not fulfill customer orders. “We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and disappointment this may cause,” it wrote. “Despite these difficult circumstances, we will do everything we can to continue offering a small selection of our products, including our challah breads and some basic pastries, which will be available in limited quantities at Boucherie Amsellem.” “We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and disappointment this may cause,” the post reads. “Despite these difficult circumstances, we will do everything we can to continue offering a small selection of our products, including our challah breads and some basic pastries, which will be available in limited quantities at Boucherie Amsellem.”
