Person leaving Toronto mosque assaulted in suspected hate-motivated attack

A person leaving a Toronto mosque was hit in the face multiple times in what police are calling a suspected hate-motivated attack.

Toronto police said at around 5:50 a.m. on Friday, officers responded to an assault call in the area of Chestnut and Dundas streets, which is just east of University Avenue.

Police said an unknown male suspect approached the victim and a group of people and began “yelling obscenities about religion.”

“The suspect accosted the victim and the group of people, demanding to know their religion,” police said.

“The suspect then struck the victim in the face multiple times unprovoked before leaving on foot.”

A spokesperson for a mosque in that area told Global News that the victim was a congregant at their place of worship.

He was leaving Masjid Toronto after dawn prayers, the spokesperson said, and was attacked, leaving him with serious injuries.

Police have described the suspect as five-feet-10-inches tall with medium-length curly black hair.

He was reportedly wearing an oversized beige American Eagle hooded sweater and light green shorts over a pair of pants.

Anyone with information can contact police or Crime Stoppers anonymously.