Police investigating suspected hate crime after vehicles with Russian flags damaged in Etobicoke

A Toronto police cruiser is seen after a homicide on April 3, 2022. (CP24)

Toronto police are investigating a suspected hate crime after vehicles with Russian flags were damaged at a movie theatre parking lot in Etobicoke.

Police said the incident happened Saturday evening in the parking lot of Cineplex in the area of The Queensway and Islington Avenue.

Two males allegedly used sledgehammers to damage several parked vehicles that had Russian flags displayed in the windshields.

Police said the suspects fled the scene in a dark grey Acura.

"After consultation with the Service's specialized Hate Crime Unit, the investigation is being treated as a suspected hate motivated offence," police said in a news release Sunday.

Police also issued limited descriptions of the suspects. One is believed to be in his late teens and wearing a grey sweater, while the other had on a black sweater.

They are asking anyone with information to contact them at 416-808-2200 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).

The incident happened in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which entered its 11th day on Sunday. Russian forces continued their artillery attacks across the country. Meanwhile, a second attempt to evacuate civilians from Mariupol failed as the port city was shelled.

Last week, Toronto police also launched an investigation into a suspected hate crime in Etobicoke after a Ukrainian flag flying on a man's vehicle was stuffed into the exhaust pipe. The tires of his vehicle were also slashed.

With files from The Associated Press