Domenic Buchanan of Toronto was arrested on Friday and charged with mischief relating to religious property and mischief interference with property for allegedly urinating on the steps of a “place of worship” and shouting antisemitic slurs on June 4, the Toronto Police Service stated.
The 22-year-old is slated to appear in court at the Ontario Court of Justice on Aug. 19.
Police said that it is investigating the incident as a “suspected hate-motivated” crime.
The department didn’t say what kind of house of worship the man allegedly targeted. There are several synagogues and churches near the identified site, the intersection of Woodbine Avenue and Queen Street East in Toronto.
Richard Robertson, director of research and advocacy at B’nai Brith Canada, told the Toronto Sun, “How low has our society sunk, that an individual feels it is justifiable to defile a Jewish house of worship by urinating on it while screaming hateful slurs?”
“This disgusting and shameful antisemitic act is representative of the current state of affairs in Canada. The unchecked incitement and division festering across the country have created an environment where even the most heinous of acts are permitted to occur,” he told the paper. “Our leaders must act now to prevent the further degradation of our country’s morals and values.”
