Chandler Marshall, a Canadian resident, has been taken into custody by Toronto police on multiple charges related to hate-motivated crimes occurring outside a mosque and two other locations in the city.
According to a statement released on Saturday night, officers responded to an incident at the Toronto Islamic Centre (TIC) around 6:40 am, situated near the intersection of Yonge Street and Davenport Road. The TIC, as shared by the National Council for Canadian Muslims (NCCM) on a social media platform, provided details of Marshall’s actions, which involved vandalizing the center and directing Islamophobic slurs and threats towards worshippers.
In response to the incident, the TIC emphasized their determination not to be intimidated, citing previous threats of violence. The statement underlined the need for sustained efforts to combat all forms of hate, expressing a commitment to the ongoing safety of worshippers.
The TIC message encouraged worshippers to join in prayers and take a stand against antisemitism, Islamophobia, and hatred. The NCCM reported submitting footage of the incident to the Toronto police.
Toronto police disclosed that the 28-year-old suspect faces charges related to two additional incidents on Wednesday morning. In the first incident before 4:30 am, Marshall, after learning the victim was Muslim, sprayed the individual’s face with an unknown substance. The second incident, occurring three and a half hours later, involved Marshall approaching a woman wearing a hijab, making derogatory statements, and spraying her face with an unknown substance. The victim received treatment for minor physical injuries, as reported by City News.
Marshall is scheduled to appear in a Toronto bail court on Monday morning, facing charges that include “four counts of assault with a weapon, two counts of assault, two counts of carrying a concealed weapon, two counts of mischief, two counts of administering a noxious substance, two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon, two counts of weapons dangerous, and uttering threats.”
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