Police have confirmed a London man has been arrested in connection to experiences that Muslim girls have been assaulted within the metropolis’s southwest finish.
The incident occurred round 7:30 p.m. Wednesday after a person allegedly approached a lady carrying a hijab and started yelling derogatory feedback towards her within the space of Berkshire Drive and Berkshire Place.
London police mentioned they didn’t know one another.
In keeping with police, the girl referred to as out for assist and one other woman got here to her support. The suspect then allegedly assaulted each girls and property belonging to one of many victims was broken.
When a close-by citizen approached, the suspect brandished a knife and threatened all three earlier than leaving the world on foot, in accordance with London police.
When officers arrived, they shortly positioned the suspect and positioned him underneath arrest.
James Edward Henkel, 79, of London, has been charged with:
Three counts of assault with a weapon
Two counts of assault
Mischief/injury to property not exceeding $5,000
Each girls sustained minor bodily accidents not requiring medical consideration.
The Nationwide Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) and Hikma Public Affairs Council have each launched statements on social media concerning the reported incident.
Hikma said the girl was together with her youngsters on the time.
Hikma mentioned, “The attack [was] by an assailant who was armed with a knife and shouting racist, Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian threats.”
“Let us not forget. Not long ago, a Muslim family was murdered en masse by a white supremacist terrorist and his truck, in London,” mentioned NCCM CEO Stephen Brown. “They were killed because of the same Islamophobia that currently grows across this country with alarming speed.”
Each companies mentioned sources are being supplied to the victims.
The accused is scheduled to look in London court docket on Nov. 5.
The investigation has been re-assigned to the London Police Service Hate Crime Unit and is being investigated as a hate- motivated incident.
