Police in Toronto have arrested a 26-year-old local man following an alleged hate-motivated assault during a large rally supporting Iranian protesters on Saturday.
Details of the Assault
Officers took the suspect into custody Saturday afternoon after he reportedly shouted anti-Black remarks and struck a victim in the chest and face at the North York demonstration. Authorities noted that the man wore a balaclava to hide his identity during the attack. The victim suffered minor injuries.
The suspect faces charges of assault and intent to wear a disguise with a view to committing an indictable offence. He appeared in court Sunday morning.
Rally Context
The event drew an estimated 350,000 participants urging the Canadian government to recognize Iran’s exiled crown prince, Reza Pahlavi, as a leader in the country’s democratic transition. Protests in Iran began late last year against the government.
Related Incident
In a separate case, authorities arrested a man from Burlington on Friday for allegedly posting online threats to harm attendees at the weekend rally.
