

Codi Wilson and Chris Herhalt, CP24.com





Toronto police are investigating after racist and derogatory comments were reportedly hurled at two women wearing hijabs on board a subway train during rush hour Wednesday night.

TTC spokesperson Brad Ross said the incident occurred at around 6 p.m. on an eastbound train that was travelling from Bloor-Yonge Station to Sherbourne Station.

"Two men and a woman boarded the train and (the men) began verbally accosting two women who were wearing hijabs. They were making racist comments, completely unacceptable behaviour, and harassing these two women who were simply going about their business," Ross said.

"There was an allegation of words about them being terrorists. One of these cowards pushed one of our customers, this innocent victim, and then a witness on board the train activated the emergency alarm."

The suspects got off the train at Sherbourne Station and all trains were stopped, Ross said.

Attempts to locate the suspects were unsuccessful, Ross added.

Police came to take statements and video surveillance footage is currently under review.

Meanwhile, Metrolinx is looking into what they are calling an "illegal act of vandalism" after an offensive comment aimed at Muslim women was written in graffiti on a GO train.

"We have absolutely no tolerance for discrimination or racism," Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins said in a written statement emails to CP24.

"We extend our sincerest apology to any customers who may have seen the offensive post... As soon the graffiti was discovered by our staff, the coach was taken out of service so it could be removed."

She said Metrolinx is launching an investigation to determine if they can find out who is responsible for the graffiti.

"We encourage anyone who sees evidence of racist or discriminatory behaviour to let us know so we can take decisive action to address it," she added.

"We believe that all our customers are entitled to safety, dignity and respect, and we will do all we can do to promote and maintain those values."

Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders weighed in on the incidents while speaking to CP24 Thursday.

"First and foremost we take hate crimes very seriously in this city. The fact that people are committing hate crimes tells me these are people that don’t understand what makes this country this country," Saunders said.

"Anyone that commits a hate crime, we fully investigate and if there is an opportunity to lay a charge, then we lay charges. It is something that is never swept under the carpet."

On Monday afternoon, a mother was heading to Grenoble Public School in Flemingdon Park when she was attacked by two men who ripped off her hijab and hurled insults at her. The woman was hospitalized. Police say they are searching for two white male suspects.

Since that incident, posters expressing hatred towards Muslims have shown up in the neighbourhood in the last two days, Mohan Doss of the Thorncliffe Park Neighbourhood Office said.

"On top of all of that about 90 children from the Grenoble Public School and the school next to it haven't gone back to school after (Monday)," Doss said. "Because their parents are scared and in most cases the mother or someone else from the family has to walk (children) to and from school alone."

In response to Monday's incident and the fear it has sowed, Doss said the community is planning a march for Friday morning.

Doss said the march will start at 10 a.m. Friday and run from 10 Gateway Boulevard to Grenoble Public School. Doss said they would like to see people from outside the neighbourhood participate, so the community can feel less isolated.

"We want this community to know that it's not just their community coming together for them, it's Toronto that is coming together for them."

Doss said staff at the French consulate in Toronto have expressed a desire to attend the march.