Police seek masked suspect after businesses, synagogue targeted with pro-Palestinian graffiti
CTV
York Regional Police say their Hate Crime Unit has been notified after multiple businesses, a community centre and a place of worship were targeted with pro-Palestinian graffiti in a predominantly Jewish neighbourhood in Vaughan Monday.
York Regional Police say their Hate Crime Unit has been notified after multiple businesses, a community centre and a place of worship were targeted with pro-Palestinian graffiti in a predominantly Jewish neighbourhood in Vaughan Monday.
Images shared to social media showed "Free Palestine" scrawled on a messianic synagogue near Yonge and Centre streets in Thornhill, as well as a nearby Starbucks, a Sobey's store with a large kosher section on Clark Avenue, and multiple banks.
Police said they are investigating seven instances of graffiti at multiple locations in the area, which has a large Jewish community.
"Investigators from the Hate Crime Unit suspect these incidents to be hate motivated. The Hate Crime Unit is engaged whenever hate is suspected to be a motivating factor in any incident," YRP said in a release.
Images shared online showed one message referencing Nazis, while in another "Free Palestine" was scrawled in red lettering over a UJA sign which read "Proudly Jewish."
Security camera footage obtained by CP24 shows a suspect in a 'Ghost Face' mask and robe spray-painting a sign outside at around 1 a.m. Monday.
