For the past five years, Ali Zeid has owned Habibiz Cafe on Portage Avenue.

Since opening, Zeid says the community has welcomed the Muslim-owned business, but possible hate-motivated vandalism at the restaurant, reported on Sunday, has been distressing, he says.

“We got here at about 9 a.m., got a couple calls from the guys that came to work,” explains Zeid. “Our front windows were vandalized, smashed with a hammer, and they left a hate letter indicating get out of our country, you don’t belong here.”

The owner said the front window of the business was hit three times with a hammer early that morning, with the letter left at their front door. The incident has left the owners, staff and their family members fearful.

Since the vandalism, Zeid says the cafe has received an outpouring of support online.

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“It can scare the community, but what I’ve seen from the last 24 hours is that the community sticks together. They’re strong, they’re loving, they’re with us, standing beside us. It makes us want to do more for the community, not just hide and be scared. The community together is strong.”

A separate incident on Friday morning targeted Congregation Shaarey Zedek, a synagogue with a nearly 140-year history in Winnipeg. Members say they have surveillance video showing an individual spray-painting swastikas at the entrance of the building.

Despite the incident, nearly 200 people attended the Sabbath the next day. Executive director Rena Secter Elbaze says she believes that sent a powerful message.

“This was an act meant to intimidate and frighten, so what we have to do is show up, we have to let people know we have our rightful place in the community that we want to contribute to. People did show up Saturday morning, people who hadn’t even been for a while, they came.”

The Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) confirmed the graffiti has since been removed and that the Major Crimes Unit is investigating both incidents. Police are asking anyone with information to contact them.

“If we don’t know, we can’t do anything about them,” says WPS Major Crimes Unit Insp. Jen McKinnon. “We need people to come forward. We need to stand together as Winnipeggers and take collective action in doing something about this. We do not accept this in Winnipeg.”

WPS tracks hate-related crimes, with recent statistics showing an increase. In 2022, 28 hate-related crimes were reported. That number jumped to 44 in 2024. Police note that the actual number of such incidents may be higher than what is reported to them.