Man charged in alleged hate-motivated attacks at 2 Scarborough mosques, mall

Toronto police say they have charged a GTA man inan "anti-Islamic hate-motivated investigation" connected to alleged assaults and harassmentat two mosques and a mall in Scarborough.

The 28-year-old accused was arrested on May 3, police said in a news release Wednesday. He faces 13 total charges related to the investigation, including:

• 2 counts of assault with a weapon.
• 2 counts of dangerous operation of a conveyance (in this case a vehicle).
• 5 counts of criminal harassment.
• Uttering threats of bodily harm.
• Assault.

Between 5:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. on April 6, officers responded to calls at two Scarborough mosques, one in the Lawrence Avenue East and Markham Roadarea and another near Lawrence Avenue East and Midland Avenue, police said.

They allege the man drove into the parking lots of each mosque and tried to hit worshippers and other vehicles.

He then travelled to Scarborough Town Centre mall and began threatening shoppers, shouting anti-Islamic and derogatory comments, police allege.

Toronto police say the man was also responsible for a hate-motivated attack at a mosque in Markham on the same day. He was previously charged by York police with uttering threats, assault with a weaponand dangerous driving in relation to that incident.

The man remains in custody in York Region, Toronto police said.

If the accused is convicted of the offences he has been charged with, then a judge can consider hate as a motivating factor when imposing a sentence.