voiceofreason
Senior News Editor since 2011
https://globalnews.ca/news/5198901/...utm_source=GlobalWinnipeg&utm_medium=Facebook
Updated: April 25, 2019 1:30 am
‘Worst’ anti-Semitic hate crime at Winnipeg cafe was allegedly faked by owners, say police
An incident at a Corydon Avenue cafe that was originally reported as one of Winnipeg’s worst-ever hate crimes was apparently staged, said police.
Three owners of the BerMax Caffé were arrested Wednesday and charged with public mischief, which involves intent to mislead and causing an officer to investigate an incident based on false information.
The cafe was allegedly robbed, the interior trashed and the walls spray-painted with anti-Semitic graffiti on April 18, although investigators now say that was all staged by the owners.
READ MORE: Winnipeg cafe targeted with anti-Semitic graffiti
At the time, Winnipeg police Const. Rob Carver told media the attack was one of the “worst” hate crimes he had seen as a police officer.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/bermax-winnipeg-antisemitic-arrest-1.5109224
Hate-crime attack on café staged, Winnipeg police say, after owners charged with mischief
An anti-Semitic attack originally called "the most brazen" the city had seen was staged by the owners of the restaurant that reported it, Winnipeg police say.
All three members of the family that owns BerMax Caffé and Bistro on Corydon Avenue have been arrested and charged with public mischief since the incident was initially reported last week. The family, however, insists they didn't fake anything.
"We didn't, because we don't joke about swastikas on our walls,"
OxanaBerent said in an interview with Ismaila Alfa, host of CBC Manitoba's afternoon radio show, Up to Speed.
On Thursday evening, police responded to a report of an assault at the restaurant. A woman said she'd been assaulted, and the restaurant was spray-painted with hateful graffiti, police said.
Smyth said he is disappointed by the alleged staging and fears it will promote cynicism. The incident took place the night before the start of Passover, a significant Jewish holiday.
Alexander Berent, 56, OxanaBerent, 48, and Maxim Berent, 29, have all been charged with public mischief and were released after being arrested, police say. They are slated to appear in court in May.
Oxana Berent said she would never invent a story about an anti-Semitic crime, given her family's experiences.
"My grandmother's family, they died in the Holocaust. Just her and her little brother survived, the whole family. We don't joke about that," she said, through tears.:noway:
After the reports of the vandalism and attack surfaced last week, the chief executive officer of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg said the group was "horrified and saddened."
"I just can't fathom how or why people would want to do such a terrible act," said Elaine Goldstine.
Federation spokesperson Adam Levy called it "the most brazen act of anti-Semitism that we've seen in our community, and perhaps ever."
Oxana and Maxim Berent spoke with CBC Manitoba's afternoon radio show, Up to Speed, on Wednesday to deny the charges.
Updated: April 25, 2019 1:30 am
‘Worst’ anti-Semitic hate crime at Winnipeg cafe was allegedly faked by owners, say police
An incident at a Corydon Avenue cafe that was originally reported as one of Winnipeg’s worst-ever hate crimes was apparently staged, said police.
Three owners of the BerMax Caffé were arrested Wednesday and charged with public mischief, which involves intent to mislead and causing an officer to investigate an incident based on false information.
The cafe was allegedly robbed, the interior trashed and the walls spray-painted with anti-Semitic graffiti on April 18, although investigators now say that was all staged by the owners.
READ MORE: Winnipeg cafe targeted with anti-Semitic graffiti
At the time, Winnipeg police Const. Rob Carver told media the attack was one of the “worst” hate crimes he had seen as a police officer.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/bermax-winnipeg-antisemitic-arrest-1.5109224
Hate-crime attack on café staged, Winnipeg police say, after owners charged with mischief
An anti-Semitic attack originally called "the most brazen" the city had seen was staged by the owners of the restaurant that reported it, Winnipeg police say.
All three members of the family that owns BerMax Caffé and Bistro on Corydon Avenue have been arrested and charged with public mischief since the incident was initially reported last week. The family, however, insists they didn't fake anything.
"We didn't, because we don't joke about swastikas on our walls,"
OxanaBerent said in an interview with Ismaila Alfa, host of CBC Manitoba's afternoon radio show, Up to Speed.On Thursday evening, police responded to a report of an assault at the restaurant. A woman said she'd been assaulted, and the restaurant was spray-painted with hateful graffiti, police said.
Smyth said he is disappointed by the alleged staging and fears it will promote cynicism. The incident took place the night before the start of Passover, a significant Jewish holiday.
Alexander Berent, 56, OxanaBerent, 48, and Maxim Berent, 29, have all been charged with public mischief and were released after being arrested, police say. They are slated to appear in court in May.
Oxana Berent said she would never invent a story about an anti-Semitic crime, given her family's experiences.
"My grandmother's family, they died in the Holocaust. Just her and her little brother survived, the whole family. We don't joke about that," she said, through tears.:noway:
After the reports of the vandalism and attack surfaced last week, the chief executive officer of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg said the group was "horrified and saddened."
"I just can't fathom how or why people would want to do such a terrible act," said Elaine Goldstine.
Federation spokesperson Adam Levy called it "the most brazen act of anti-Semitism that we've seen in our community, and perhaps ever."
Oxana and Maxim Berent spoke with CBC Manitoba's afternoon radio show, Up to Speed, on Wednesday to deny the charges.