Police are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a man wanted in connection with a suspected hate-motivated mischief investigation in Toronto.
Toronto police said on July 13, at around 6:25 p.m., officers received a report of a hate crime in the Dundas Street West and McCaul Street area.
Officers said earlier that day, at around 6:15 a.m., a man was seen using white spray-paint to deface the Couch Monster sculpture, located at the Art Gallery of Ontario.
Police said antisemitic graffiti was found at the front of the sculpture.
Officers are now searching for a man in his 50s with a medium build, brown eyes and grey shoulder-length hair.
According to police, the man is balding and has grey and white facial stubble.
He was seen wearing a black T-shirt with a “tobacconist” logo on the front, a black sleeveless hoodie, faded black and grey jeans and Adidas sneakers with blue soles.
Officers said the suspect was also wearing a watch on each wrist and was carrying a black drawstring bag.
“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.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.