The lawyer representing the man involved in egging a Saskatoon synagogue says the incident was not fuelled by hate. On Aug. 4, Jayden Clarke threw eggs at the Congregation Agudas Israel synagogue and vehicles in its parking lot during a Shabbat service. Clarke, a 31-year-old man from Dundurn, Sask., turned himself in to police on Aug. 13. He is facing three counts of mischief under $5,000. Brian Pfefferle, Clarke’s lawyer, said his client has accepted full responsibility for the mischief. “He wants to be clear that it was not motivated by hatred, antisemitism, or hostility toward the Jewish community,” Pfefferle told CTV News in a statement. “The location was a matter of unfortunate timing, not targeted animus.” Pfefferle said the egging was an “alcohol-induced and foolish act that he can now see caused genuine fear.” Advocacy group wants motivation investigated Richard Robertson, with Jewish advocacy group B’nai Brith Canada, does not believe intoxication rules out the possibility that the incident was hate-motivated. “Mr. Clarke chose to attend the synagogue. He had enough faculties about him to specifically attend that synagogue and to carry out the vandalism,” Robertson told CTV News. Robertson wants Clarke’s motivation to be closely examined. “I do believe that this needs to be investigated as a hate crime, and I’ll leave it up to the authorities to decide whether or not that threshold is met,” Robertson said. Saskatoon police said it cannot comment on the case because it’s now before the courts. Any evidence that an offence was motivated by prejudice, bias or hate can be considered during sentencing. Pfefferle said Clarke is working with members of Congregation Agudas Israel “to find a meaningful way for Mr. Clarke to make reparations and take responsibility.” Clarke is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Sept. 16. Anti-Jewish hate incidents on the rise Saskatoon police data shows the number of hate-motivated incidents where the primary motivation was the Jewish religion doubled from five in 2024 to 10 in 2025. So far in 2026, police have recorded seven incidents. Police couldn’t say how many of those cases resulted in charges.
