Vancouver man arrested for threats against Jews, defacing hostage posters

A Canadian man who allegedly uttered threats against Jews and defaced posters of an Israeli hostage was arrested by the Vancouver Police Department, they said on Tuesday.

Witnesses reported in October a man using antisemitic and threatening language and antisemitic words and symbols in his vandalism of posters of hostages held in captivity by Hamas.

Mircea Iulian Pripoae, 33, was charged with the willful promotion of hatred against an identifiable group and uttering threats in February, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Pripoae turned himself in last Thursday and was released with court-ordered conditions until his court date.

“We support everyone’s right to express themselves peacefully, respectfully, and lawfully,” VPD Constable Tania Visintin said in a statement. “We will not tolerate actions, behavior, or speech that promotes hatred, and we hope this sends a clear message about how committed we are to investigating all hate crimes.”

Appreciation of the investigation

The Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs on Tuesday welcomed the charges against the suspect and thanked the VPD for its investigation. "We hope this encourages more people to come forward if they see or experience an antisemitic hate incident," CIJA said on Tuesday.

CIJA noted a VPD January report warning that there was a 62 percent increase in antisemitic incidents in 2023 compared to 2022. Thirty-three of the 47 reported antisemitic hate incidents occurred after October 7, according to the report.

"VPD immediately took action following the October 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas and has continued to work closely with community and faith leaders to ease tensions and address safety concerns during the ongoing war," said the police. "Beginning October 7, dedicated officers were assigned to maintain visible police presence and conduct proactive patrols at high-risk locations, including places of worship, community centers, and faith-based schools. School liaison officers have also worked with public and private schools serving impacted communities, and VPD continues to share information with local and international public-safety partners."

CIJA said that the increase in antisemitism showed that "more needs to be done to protect the Jewish and other diverse communities" and called on British Columbia Premier David Eby to take action to fight antisemitism in the province.