Joseph Bitton, a Toronto-area real estate agent and lawyer, was left with lesions and bruises after a man attacked him with a parking pylon and nearby garbage-day debris, shouting that Jews were “baby killers committing genocide.” The incident occurred around noon on Tuesday in the Jane Street and Lawrence Avenue West area, where Bitton owns a commercial property.
Attack Details
Bitton, who wears a kippah, said the man claimed to be from Yemen and a Houthi. The attacker began swinging a parking pylon at Bitton, who immediately called 911. “First thing I told her was I’m being attacked because I’m visibly Jewish, and this fellow is threatening to kill me!” Bitton recalled.
The man then threw a brick that hit Bitton’s arm, followed by metal brackets and a tree branch. “I dodged all the projectiles he was throwing at me, blocked him with my arms. I’ve got lesions and scratches on both arms,” said Bitton, whose injuries were documented by a doctor later that day.
Pursuit and Witnesses
Bitton estimated the episode lasted roughly 35 minutes, including his pursuit of the man as he attempted to flee. He followed the man from a distance of 10 to 15 feet as he boarded one bus, then tried to escape through a rear door, crossed the street, and got on another bus headed in the opposite direction. Bitton alerted both bus drivers that police were on their way and asked them not to move until officers arrived.
Despite dozens of witnesses at the bus stop, on the bus, and at the original location, Bitton lamented, “Nobody lifted a finger.” The only person who helped was one retail tenant from the property Bitton manages, who came out when the man was swinging the pylon and tried to put distance between them.
Police Response
According to Bitton, the attacker eventually moved into a laneway behind an automotive repair shop, throwing rocks and bricks, before police arrived. Eight officers cornered the suspect in a dead end, handcuffed him, and placed him in a cruiser. Bitton said the suspect kept saying “I didn’t do anything!” as police grabbed him.
From footage captured by eight property surveillance cameras, police identified the suspect. “They saw the guy doing everything, throwing the pylon at me, and swinging at me, and throwing things at me,” Bitton said.
Bitton emphasized that he deliberately did not physically confront the attacker. “Some people are telling me I should have knocked the guy out. I said, ‘Absolutely not. Then I would be arrested, and he would go free, and I would be the bad guy.’ So I deliberately just stayed 10 or 15 feet away,” he told National Post.
