Eleven individuals have been charged in connection with a hate-motivated vandalism incident at a popular book store chain in Yorkville, Toronto, according to the city’s police department. The incident occurred in the early morning of November 10, when a group of suspects glued posters to the doors and windows of the Indigo store in the area. They also poured red paint on the windows and sidewalk. The posters displayed an image of the company’s Jewish CEO, Heather Reisman, along with the phrase “Funding Genocide.”
Last week, Toronto police arrested and charged a 41-year-old woman named Nisha Toomey in relation to the incident. In a recent news release, the police confirmed that an additional ten residents of Toronto are now facing charges in connection with the case. The individuals have been identified as Sharmeen Khan, MacDonald Scott, Mercedes Lee, Suzanne Narain, Lesley Wood, Sarom Rho, Ian Doty, Stuart Schussler, Karl Sebastian Gardner, and Clement Cheng. They each face one count of mischief over $5,000 and one count of conspiracy to commit an indictable offense. They are scheduled to appear in court in January.
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Toronto police have classified this case as a suspected hate-motivated offense and continue to investigate. The incident is part of a concerning trend of hate crimes in the city. Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw revealed during a recent meeting of the Toronto Police Services Board that there has been a significant increase in antisemitic and Islamophobic or anti-Palestinian hate crimes since the start of the Israel-Gaza war on October 7. Chief Demkiw called the rise in hate crimes “staggering” and assured that the police force has committed substantial resources to address this issue.
Indigo, the targeted book store chain, has been the subject of boycott campaigns for several years due to its founder’s HESEG Foundation for Lone Soldiers. The vandalism incident is an alarming example of the growing tensions and divisions within the city. Authorities are working to combat these issues and ensure the safety and security of all residents.
