A Durham Regional Police car at a Bowmanville, Ont. shopping centre parking lot on Feb. 28, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Doug Ives
DPiTwo girls, aged 13 and 14, have been charged with assault after an alleged swarming attack in Oshawa, Ont., last week while three other youths, including an 11-year-old, are considered suspects, police said Friday.Â
But Durham Region police said there's "no evidence" at this time that hate was an aggravating factor in the alleged attack on a Muslim woman whose hijab was ripped off.
In a press release Friday, police said officers responded to a report of an assault at a Pizza Pizza restaurant shortly after midnight on July 2.Â
They alleged one of the suspects jumped behind the counter and tried to take something and the victim tried to stop them before being swarmed and kicked repeatedly by others in the group.Â
Two teenage girls have been charged with assault causing bodily harm, while an 11-year-old boy has been identified as a suspect but he cannot be charged due to his age, police said. They are also searching for a 13-year-old boy wanted for assault and an unidentified female suspect between the ages of 12 to 15.
Police initially said that all potential motives, including the possibility the attack was hate-motivated, would be examined.Â
"The investigation remains ongoing and at this time, there is no evidence to indicate that hate was an aggravating factor in this assault," police said Friday.Â
Last week, advocates in the Muslim community said the alleged attack has left people anxious and frightened amid a rise in Islamophobic incidents. The victim's daughter also said her mother was "deeply shaken" and the family is concerned about her safety.Â
Omar Khamisa, the chief operating officer of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, said he was heartbroken and angry to hear about the incident, adding his organization is seeing a rise in reported hate crimes against Muslims.
Khamisa called on elected officials to acknowledge the gravity of the issue and take measures to address it.
"It's time for the words to become actions now," he said. "We cannot keep waiting for the next attack before we make and move for change."
The National Council of Canadian Muslims did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday after police announced charges in the case.Â
Durham police said hate crime is not a "stand-alone" charge in Canada and determining whether hate played a role in a crime requires consultation with the Crown attorney's office.
This report by °µÍø½ûÇø was first published July 11, 2025.
°µÍø½ûÇø. All rights reserved.
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