A teenager has been charged with assault and robbery in connection with an attack on a group of Jewish teens in North York on Sunday.
According to police, four teenage boys were walking near Fairholme Avenue and Bathurst Street on Sunday evening when they were approached by another group of teens who made “derogatory comments” about the Jewish teens.
“They were being made fun of based on what they were wearing,” Toronto police spokesperson Katrina Arrogante told CP24 on Monday. “They were wearing their yamakas on their heads – aside from that I’m not quite sure what their basic outfit was, but that was the comment that was being made to them and that’s when the assault occurred.”
Two of the victims, both aged 17, were assaulted. A pair of sunglasses was stolen from one of the victims.
The suspects, police said, split up and fled the area.
The victims told investigators they did not know the people who attacked them.
Investigators have said they are treating the incident as a possible hate crime and robbery.
One of the suspects was taken into custody by police. Police said the suspect was 17 years old at the time of the alleged offences. He has since been charged and is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 18.
Police are still searching for at least nine other suspects in connection with the incident. They have been described only as being in their early teens.
The suspect cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
