Suspect Charged in Series of Vandalism Incidents at North York Church

A 45-year-old Toronto man has been charged in connection with a suspected hate-motivated mischief investigation after a Toronto-area church was vandalized repeatedly over the course of nine months.

A church in the Don Mills Road and Fairview Mall Drive area of North York was vandalized multiple times between Aug. 6, 2025, and May 5, 2026, Toronto police said in a May 11 press release.

A male suspect damaged the outer glass doors of the church on several occasions before fleeing the scene, police said.

Toronto resident Sohrab Mehmandoust was arrested on May 5 in connection with the investigation, “which is being treated as a suspected hate-motivated offence,” police said.

Mehmandoust has been charged with four counts of mischief related to religious property and was scheduled to appear in bail court on May 6.

The incidents remain under investigation and additional charges could be laid, according to the press release.

“Wilful promotion of hatred and advocating genocide are hate propaganda (hate speech) offences which require the Attorney General’s consent to lay charges,” police said. “These charges are often laid at a later time.”

Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.

Hate-Motivated Offences

A hate-motivated crime is defined as a criminal offence—like assault, mischief, or threats—directed at a person or property, motivated entirely or partially by bias, prejudice, or animosity toward an identifiable group’s race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or similar factors, according to the police service.

A hate crime under the Criminal Code typically involves violence or property damage motivated by bias against a particular group and would not have occurred in the absence of that prejudice.

“If it is alleged a criminal offence was committed (such as assault or mischief) and it is believed to have been motivated by bias, prejudice or hate, the officer-in-charge may consult with the Crown,” police said. “If a person is charged and convicted of the offence, the judge will take into consideration hate as an aggravating factor when imposing a sentence.”

All suspected hate crimes are investigated by the Toronto Police Service’s Hate Crime Unit (HCU).

The unit, created in 1993, monitors hate-motivated crime to identify crimes and criminals and to assist with sentencing at the end of the judicial process, police said. The unit also supports frontline officers and investigative units throughout the city.