The incident, believed to be motivated by hate, occurred near Yonge Street and Finch Avenue West on May 12, as the victim was commuting with a friend, Toronto Star reported on Saturday.

The suspect, who was a stranger to the victim, allegedly attacked her, prompting intervention from other passengers. He subsequently fled the scene.

The police have characterized the suspect as slim, unshaven, with a beard and moustache.

This incident coincides with a reported 1300% increase in Islamophobic incidents in Canada following the onset of Israeli aggression on Gaza, as stated by the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM).

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Stephen Brown, the CEO of NCCM, revealed this statistic while speaking at a committee investigating Islamophobia and antisemitism on Thursday. Presenting evidence to the Commons justice committee, Brown stated that Islamophobia is a “dangerous form of hate” that has seen a significant rise in recent years.

The committee was also informed about the role of social media algorithms in amplifying abhorrent anti-Muslim content, which is manifesting as real-world hate. Brown expressed that Muslim communities are witnessing an unprecedented level of hate and violence “from every level of society.”

Source: Agencies