A 35-year-old Mississauga woman faces multiple charges after attempting to tear off a woman's hijab and hurling racial slurs at two others.

Police were called to a bus shelter in the Hurontario Street and Paisley Boulevard area around 6:30 p.m. Sunday, where an 18-year-old woman was standing.

"All of a sudden a female comes into the area yelling these racial slurs and actually began flicking a lighter towards the victim," Const. Danny Marttini told CBC News.

At that point, another female whose age is unknown, tried to help the victim before the assailant hurled the slurs her way as well, "grabbing at her hijab" and trying to remove it, Marttini said.

The woman in the hijab left the scene before officers arrived and police say they are now trying to track her down to check on her well-being and learn more about the incident.

A third victim, a 56-year-old Mississauga woman, was also assaulted and on the receiving end of racial slurs.

The accused has been charged with assault, assault with a weapon and uttering threats to cause bodily harm. She has been released with a promise to appear in court at the end of August.

Sunday's incident is one in a string of assaults in Ontario that police are probing as hate-motivated. For a hate crime charge to be laid in Ontario, the province's attorney general must provide consent.

"It's sad that these incidents take place at all," Marttini said.

"Regardless of what drives a person to act in this matter ... this is not okay."

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at (905) 453-2121, ext. 1233 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-8477.