Police lay additional charges in hate-motivated vandalism probe at Toronto Indigo
Posted November 30, 2023 6:31 pm.
Toronto police have laid additional charges in a hate-motivated mischief investigation after the Indigo store at Bay Street and Bloor Street West was vandalized with red paint and posters.
In total 11 people were arrested in connection to the incident on the morning Friday, November 10, 2023.
Police say the suspects glued posters to the doors and windows of the bookstore at the corner of Bay Street and Bloor Street West.
Police said the suspects then poured red paint on the windows and sidewalk.
Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) called it a “vile antisemitic attack,” and said the posters accused Indigo’s Jewish founder and CEO, Heather Reisman, of ‘Funding Genocide.’ “
On Nov. 14, police charged 41-year-old Nisha Toomey of Toronto with mischief over $5,000. On Thursday police said Toomey is now facing an additional charge of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
The other 10 suspects were all initially charged with mischief Over $5000 and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. They now all face additional charges of criminal harassment after police allege they “engaged in threatening conduct that caused a person to reasonably fear for their personal safety.”
They are:
- Sharmeen Khan, 45, of Toronto
- MacDonald Scott, 56, of Toronto
- Mercedes Lee, 44, of Toronto
- Suzanne Narain, 38, of Toronto
- Lesley Wood, 56, of Toronto
- Sarom Rho, 29, of Toronto
- Ian Doty, 43, of Toronto
- Stuart Schussler, 39, of Toronto
- Karl Sebastian Gardner, 33, of Toronto
- Clement Cheng, 26, of Toronto
Police said the investigation remains ongoing and is being treated as a suspected hate-motivated offence.
With files from Lucas Casaletto
