Toronto man arrested, suspect of another antisemitic attack

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Michael Park Photo: Toronto Police

On September 12, 2021 The Toronto Police Service issued the following press release:

The Toronto Police Service has made an arrest in a Assault Investigation.

It is alleged that:

– on Saturday, September 11, 2021, at approximately 12:30 p.m., a woman was sitting on the bench on the subway platform at Lawrence Subway Station

See previous release.

On Sunday, September 12, 2021, officers arrested Michael Park, 32, of no fixed address.

He has been charged with:

1. Assault

2. Fail to Comply With Release Order

The victim provided on Reddit more details on the attack:

…I[‘]m a young female and while on my commute to work, I was physically assaulted, unprovoked, by a man on the platform at Lawrence station, Toronto. Because of the nature of the attack and what the man was saying. Toronto police are classifying it as an assault and possible hate crime.

During the initial confrontation he asked me multiple times if I was “a Jew”, which (even though I am not Jewish) I did not respond to, he then did a Nazi salute and asked me if I knew what it meant, eventually he accused me of being “a Jew” and that is when he assaulted me.

The whole incident was caught on camera with multiple witnesses. I went ahead with pursuing charges and the report has been filed…

On July 15, 2021 The Toronto Police Service issued the following statement:

The Toronto Police Service has made an arrest in two separate hate-motivated assault investigations.

On Tuesday, July 6, 2021, at 8 a.m., police attended a call for a disorderly person at Stanley Park in the King Street West and Walnut Avenue area

It is alleged that:

– a man with a non-permanent drawing of a swastika on his chest was yelling anti-Semitic slurs towards an individual

– the man then assaulted a person by throwing an object at them

– the man was located and arrested nearby

Michael Park, 32, of Toronto, was charged with:

1. Interfere with use and enjoyment of park by others (Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 608)

2. Use profane/abusive language in park (Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 608)

3. Assault with a weapon

On Saturday July 10, 2021, at 10:30 a.m., police responded to a call for an assault in the Yonge Street and Glen Elm Street area.

It is alleged that:

– the victim was walking southbound on Yonge Street when a man walking northbound showed him a non-permanent drawing of a swastika on his chest

– the man was then heard yelling anti-Semitic slurs towards a group of people

– the victim confronted the man about his language

– the victim was then punched multiple times by the man

– police located the man a short distance away

Michael Park, 32, of Toronto, was charged with:

1. Assault

He attended court on Saturday, July 10, at Old City Hall, room 112. He is next scheduled to appear at College Park Court on Thursday, July 15, 2021, via video.

After consultation with the Service’s specialized Hate Crime Unit, both investigations are being treated as hate motivated.