Charges laid after hijab-wearing woman was attacked in Ajax library: police
Posted March 23, 2025 2:00 pm.
Last Updated March 24, 2025 5:24 am.
A 25-year-old woman is facing assault charges following what police say was an unprovoked attack at the Ajax Public Library that may have been hate-motivated.
According to Durham police, a woman was studying at the library on Harwood Avenue on March 22 when she was approached by another woman she did not recognize.
“The female began yelling profanities at the victim and throwing objects at her head,” police said in a release on Sunday. “The suspect then tried to remove the victim’s hijab, while pouring an unknown liquid on it. The suspect then grabbed a lighter and attempted to light the hijab on fire.”
Security personnel at the library heard the victim’s screams for help and managed to intervene, according to police.
The suspect fled the library but was located a few hours later and taken into custody without incident.
Kaley-Ann Freier of Ajax has been charged with two counts of assault with a weapon and three counts of failing to comply with a probation order.
Police say the investigation is ongoing and additional charges are possible should the Crown Attorney’s office determine the incident should be treated as a hate crime.
“We are closely monitoring this case and strongly urge authorities to investigate this assault as a hate crime,” National Council of Canadian Muslims CEO Stephen Brown said in a statement.
“It is an outrage that this kind of violence has become a regular occurrence in our community. Incidents of Islamophobia have increased exponentially in recent years. It is time for our elected leaders to step up and address this issue collaboratively,” Brown added.
Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh also reacted to the incident calling it a “horrifying attack” in a social media post on X.
“Islamophobia has no place in Canada,” Singh wrote. “This hate-motivated attack is a reminder that divisive rhetoric is a stain on our country and not part of our Canadian values.”
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact police.
