Ottawa police have arrested a man in connection to vandalism at the Ottawa Mosque and Islam Care Centre this week.
The Ottawa Muslim Association president, Naeem Malik, said bricks were used to smash a window at the mosque around 3a.m Wednesday. The front door of the Islamic Centre was also smashed earlier that same night.
Police said 27-year-old Shawn Le Guerrier phoned police to turn himself in and is facing two counts of mischief. Le Guerrier is also facing one count of assaulting police for an incident that took place during his arrest.
“It’s always distressing to see our places of worship targeting in this hateful way. We call on the police to investigate these incidents as potential hate crimes,” Malik said.
Police said if these incidents prove to be racially motivated, the suspect could face a more severe sentence in court.
