'Sikh' struck on head in hate-motivated assault in Canada
Darpan News Desk IANS, 23 Jan, 2023 01:19 PM
Toronto, Jan 23 (IANS) A man, apparently a Sikh, was allegedly struck on the head, causing his turban to fall on the ground, by an unidentified man, who also made "derogatory comments" at a subway station in Canada, police said.
Police officers responded to an assault call at the Bloor-Yonge Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) subway station following the incident last week.
Upon reaching the scene, police found that a man had been struck on the head causing his "religious head covering" -- which they later identified as turban -- to fall on the ground.
The suspect allegedly passed derogatory comments at the victim before he left the TTC station, the Toronto Police said in a statement.
The victim, whose age or religious affiliation were not released by the police, sustained minor injuries on his head.
However, a report in Omni News, a multicultural and multilingual broadcaster in Canada, confirmed the identity of the victim as Sikh in its report.
The suspect was last seen wearing a blue hat and a black jacket and was carrying a black bag.
"After consultation with the specialised Hate Crime Unit, the investigation is being treated as a suspected hate-motivated offence," the Toronto police said in its statement.
Toronto Mayor John Tory said police are investigating the hate-motivated assault of a man at the subway station. "Our transit system - and city at large - must be safe places for all and free of hatred, without exception," Tory tweeted after the incident.
"Hate has no place in our city. We must all call out and stand together against discrimination and violence," he said.
Condemning the incident, the Toronto Transit Commission said that they will continue to assist Toronto Police in the course of their investigation.
It is out of character for her to be out of touch with family for this long. Gurmail suffers from a medical condition requiring medication and she may appear disoriented or confused if approached. Gurmail only speaks Punjabi.
The two-day visit to Thailand is for Trudeau to take part in the leaders' meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, a group of 21 economies on both sides of the Pacific that work together to break down barriers to trade.
The agreement from the UN conference in Scotland last year called for countries to move faster to get rid of coal-fired electricity plants that are not abated with technology to capture emissions. India is pushing to add oil and gas to that paragraph in this year's final pact.
Police have said pilot Abhinav Handa, Hankun Hong, Gene Lahrkamp and Duncan Bailey died in the crash near Sioux Lookout after departing from Dryden, Ont. British Columbia's anti-gang unit has said Lahrkamp was wanted in Thailand for murdering another man with links to B.C. gangs.
"China today is not the China of the past," Ng told reporters in Bangkok where she is attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum meetings alongside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Omar Alghabra says that he participated in a briefing from chief public health officer Theresa Tam this morning. He says the government will continue to follow advice from doctors and will maintain the recommendation for now.
