Ottawa man under investigation, in custody for alleged hate crime
An Ottawa man is under investigation by Toronto police for an alleged hate crime.
Mohammad Assadi appeared in an Ottawa courtroom Sunday after being arrested for violating bail conditions for outstanding charges that include assault and breaking and entering.
A bail hearing has not yet been scheduled and he is currently in custody. His next appearance is scheduled for Nov. 14.
Toronto Police Service said in a statement that it's working with outside agencies and law enforcement partners on hate-related cases.
"What I can confirm is that Toronto Police are currently investigating a number of hate-related incidents in Toronto," the statement said.
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Assadi appears in multiple photos and videos posted to social media wearing an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) hat.
The IRGC is an arm of the Iranian government that operates independently from the country's conventional military. It is not currently listed as a terrorist group in Canada, but its Quds Force branch is designated as such.
Canada has not had diplomatic relations with Iran since 2012, when the Harper government expelled Iranian diplomats from Canada and closed the Canadian embassy in Tehran.
Assadi appears to have organized an online fundraising campaign for a controversial pro-Palestinian activist, and his social media appears to offer support for Hamas.
Across the country, police forces are warning the Israel-Hamas war is inciting a rise in hate-motivated crimes.
Hate symbols, speech unacceptable, police say
Earlier this month, Ottawa police said "several concerning hate-motivated criminal incidents" targeting Jewish and Muslim communities were reported.
"Hate speech, symbols and other hate-motivated incidents are unacceptable. Those incidents can have a lasting impact not only on those who have been targeted, but throughout the neighbourhoods and communities where they occur," the force said.
"The Ottawa police has zero tolerance for hate-motivated incidents. The hate and bias crime unit fully investigates all reported incidents. We will prosecute those who commit hate crimes to the full extent of the law."
In July, prior to the latest Israel-Hamas war, Ottawa police reported hate-motivated incidents in the city had jumped nearly 24 per cent in the first half of 2023 compared to the same time last year.
Jewish residents were among the most affected residents from the rise in incidents, according to police statistics.
