Vaughan man, 34, charged in suspected hate-motivated assault in Thornhill

Incident occurred near synagogue by Bathurst Street and Flamingo Road

Yorkregion.com
Jan. 10, 2024

A man has been charged following a suspected hate-motivated assault on members of the Jewish community in Thornhill over the weekend.

York Regional Police said four adults "who identify as Jewish" were walking home from a synagogue near Bathurst Street and Flamingo Road when they were approached by a man on an electric bicycle around 1:45 p.m. Saturday.

"The victims felt intimidated by the manner in which the suspect operated the bike in their presence," police said in a news release Tuesday. "An argument ensued, during which the suspect spat at the victims and made antisemitic comments before he rode away."

A suspect was identified through investigation and was arrested a few hours after the incident, according to police.

A 34-year-old Vaughan man has been charged with two counts of assault and one count of breach of probation.