A recent incident in Montreal has raised serious questions about public safety and the justice system’s handling of repeat offenders struggling with mental illness.

In November 2024, Oualid Chbichib, a Canadian citizen of Tunisian origin who obtained his citizenship in 2004, allegedly entered a Jewish-owned store in Montreal and made death threats against the owner and employees.

Chbichib has a history with the justice system. In a previous case, he was arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer with a kitchen knife. He was ultimately found not criminally responsible due to mental illness.

A psychiatric evaluation produced in 2021 by Montreal’s Pinel Institute noted that Chbichib appeared preoccupied with Jews. The report stated that he allegedly told police that an RCMP officer advised him to arm himself with a knife to defend against Jews.

He also claimed to be the “leader of Muslims” and expressed fears for his life. Despite refusing to meet with a psychiatrist at the time, a criminologist warned that the risk of violence remained, particularly tied to his feelings of persecution.

Now, following the most recent threats, the court has ordered another psychological assessment to determine whether he is fit to stand trial. The case highlights the recurring dilemma: despite repeated warnings about his violent tendencies and fixation on Jews, Chbichib continues to be released back into the community.

Chbichib admitted living in subsidized housing and receiving social assistance, which covers most of his expenses. In 2022, he appeared before Quebec’s Housing Tribunal for failure to pay rent.

Although he insists that the latest incident has nothing to do with the conflict in the Middle East and claims to hold no animosity toward Jews, the alleged threats coincided with an anti-Israel demonstration taking place near the targeted store.

Victims of the threats say they were never informed by police about Chbichib’s criminal history or psychiatric background, leaving them in the dark about the potential danger.

With antisemitism rising in Montreal, community members fear the consequences if individuals with known violent tendencies and obsessive behavior toward Jews are not properly supervised. The question remains: what measures are authorities taking to protect the public from repeat cases like this?

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