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.

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"We didn't, because we don't joke about swastikas on our walls," Oxana Berent 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.

Winnipeg police Chief Danny Smyth said Wednesday the attack was staged.

"The anti-Semitic graffiti and vandalism were also falsely reported as being done by outside suspects," Smyth said.

"We found evidence of a crime. It just wasn't a hate crime," said Smyth, adding the police expended considerable resources investigating and took the report seriously.

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