Eleven individuals have been charged in connection with a hate-motivated incident at an Indigo store in Toronto.
The incident, which occurred at the Indigo location on Bay Street on December 28, 2021, involved a group of individuals who entered the store and caused significant damage to merchandise and property while making hateful and discriminatory remarks.
After an investigation by the Toronto Police Service’s Hate Crime Unit, 11 people have now been charged with mischief and hate-motivated mischief.
The individuals, whose identities have not been released, range in age from 18 to 25 years old and are from various areas in the Greater Toronto Area.
According to police, the group entered the store and began throwing books and other items off shelves, causing damage to the store’s inventory and property. They also made derogatory and discriminatory comments towards staff and customers.
The incident was captured on surveillance footage, which was used by investigators to identify and charge the individuals involved.
In a statement, Toronto Police Chief James Ramer condemned the incident, stating that “hate-motivated crimes have no place in our city.”
He also urged anyone who witnesses or experiences hate-motivated incidents to come forward and report them to the police.
Indigo CEO Heather Reisman also released a statement, expressing her shock and disappointment at the incident.
“We are deeply disturbed by this incident and stand in solidarity with our employees and customers who were subjected to this hateful and unacceptable behavior,” she said.
Reisman also stated that Indigo is committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all customers and employees, and will not tolerate any form of discrimination or hate.
The 11 individuals have been released on bail and are scheduled to appear in court on February 28, 2022.
The incident at the Indigo store has sparked outrage and condemnation from the community, with many expressing their support for the store and its employees.
This incident serves as a reminder that hate-motivated crimes are still a prevalent issue in our society and must be addressed and condemned.
We must all work together to create a more inclusive and accepting society, where incidents like this are not tolerated.
