B.C. man sentenced to eight months for antisemitic graffiti at Victoria synagogue

The Story

A British Columbia man who defaced a historic synagogue in downtown Victoria with “unquestionably hateful” statements has been sentenced to eight months in jail.

Provincial Court Judge Micah Rankin said Arthur Roberts pleaded guilty to mischief and uttering threats after he admitted to the summer 2025 vandalism at the Congregation Emanu-El synagogue.

Rankin’s ruling says the judge found Roberts committed a hate crime by intending to expose Jewish people to a hateful message when they entered their place of worship.

The decision describes the graffiti as messages describing Jewish people as “evil” and “monsters” and child murderers, and it notes the words “Stop the Jews” identify Jews themselves rather than the State of Israel, its government, or its military as the object of condemnation.

The judge said the criticism of Israel, even harsh criticism, is not necessarily antisemitic, and described antisemitism as arising from attributing responsibility for Israel’s actions collectively to all Jews.

Rankin imposed six months for the mischief charge and an additional two months for uttering threats, linked to a text message Roberts sent to his mother in June 2026 expressing a desire to kill police.

The ruling said a congregant discovered the graffiti outside the synagogue vestibule last August, and Roberts was arrested by Victoria officers on Aug. 22, 2025, after the release of CCTV footage led to his identification by a member of the public.

Rankin said Roberts expressed remorse, describing him as an “extremely isolated” 54-year-old man with mental-health problems, and the ruling also referenced the judge’s finding that the offence may have been “subjectively” motivated in connection with events in Gaza.

The decision said the impact on congregants was “‘profoundly negative,” including attendees of a bar mitzvah that took place the day after the synagogue was defaced.