Police investigate after Toronto mosque receives 'deeply disturbing' threat

Toronto police say they are investigating after a midtown mosque received a phone call threatening violence against the mosque and its staff.

Police said they received a report about the call made to the Toronto Islamic Centre, on Yonge Street north of Bloor Street, on Wednesday at 8 p.m.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims, an advocacy organization, posted audio of the call on its Instagram page. In it, a person is heard speaking with the caller, who makes reference to Brenton Tarrant, who killed 51 Muslims praying at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand in 2019.

The caller, who says he is not Canadian, tells the person to search for Tarrant's name.

"Another Christchurch is going to happen to you," the caller says.

In a news release on Friday, the centre said said the call was "deeply disturbing."

"During the call, the individual used Islamophobic and racist language and made explicit threats of murder," the centre said.

Police said they do not know where the call originated from and have not said whether the call will be investigated as a hate crime.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said in a social media post on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday, called the threats "heinous."

"Toronto is a city built on compassion, diversity, and a profound respect for people of all faiths," she said. "We will not tolerate threats of violence, Islamophobia, or hate of any kind. Every resident deserves to feel safe in their place of worship."

The NCCM, meanwhile, said it has been in contact with the mosque.

"Unfortunately, violent Islamophobia is rising across Canada. It is time for elected leaders to work with community members to generate real plans to make sure that our community is safe," the NCCM said in its post.