2 more MPs offices vandalized in Toronto
Posted June 3, 2024 2:13 pm.
Last Updated June 3, 2024 3:54 pm.
Toronto police are investigating two new cases of vandalism at the Toronto offices of Members of Parliament (MPs).
Police were notified of a “suspected hate crime” at the Bloor Street office of MP Arif Virani on Monday morning.
Virani has represented Parkdale-High Park since 2015 and is also the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.
His office at 1596 Bloor St. W. was plastered with red paint and mock wanted signs showing Virani’s face. The signs read “Liberals Lie Children Die.”
Photos also appear to show children suffering from starvation in Northern Gaza.
His office is cordoned off with police tape.
Later Monday police also confirmed a similar incident at Toronto-Danforth MP Julie Dabrusin’s office at Queen Street East and Carlaw Avenue.
“We received a call around 10:30 a.m. at the MP’s office, for reports of a damage,” a police spokesperson said.
“The investigation is currently ongoing, and the Hate Crime Unit has been notified.”
Monday’s cases come just days after the Bloor Street West office of Davenport MP Julie Dzerowicz was doused in red paint and the words “Rahaf (sic) is burning, Toronto will too,” was spray painted on it last Tuesday.
Dzerowicz told reporters two people dressed in black carried out the vandalism at around 1:06 a.m. on Tuesday.
Dzerowicz released an official statement the next day, saying: “Stating that ‘Rafah is burning, Toronto will too’ is particularly troublesome and threatening language that impacts the sense of safety in my office and how we serve the residents of Davenport.”
Dzerowicz became the first female MP to represent Davenport when she was elected in 2015. She was re-elected in 2019 and 2021 and also serves on the House of Commons Parliamentary Finance Committee and is also the Chair of the Canada-NATO Parliamentary Association.
The Hate Crimes Unit is still investigating the vandalism at her office.
