A 34-year-old woman has been charged in connection with two suspected hate-motivated incidents involving young passengers aboard TTC buses in North York earlier this year.
Toronto police say the first incident occurred on Sept. 15 in the Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue West area. Three young people were riding a TTC bus when a woman engaged them in conversation and allegedly made harassing comments.
Then, on Oct. 31, police say a young person was riding a TTC bus in the same area when a woman boarded the vehicle and began talking to them, allegedly making harassing comments before exiting at Bathurst Street and Laurelcrest Avenue.
Investigators determined that the woman is the same person in both incidents.
On Nov. 14, police arrested 34-year-old Genevieve Reist of Toronto and charged her with criminal harassment. She is scheduled to appear in court next month.
Police say if the alleged criminal offence is deemed motivated by bias, prejudice, or hate, they will consult with the Crown Attorney’s office about additional charges, which are often laid at a later time. If the person charged is later convicted of the offence, the judge in the case will take hate into consideration as an aggravating factor when imposing a sentence.
