Police search for suspect accused of removing woman’s hijab during unprovoked assault in Mississauga

Police say the incident occurred near Cooksville Creek Bridge, where a woman allegedly had her hijab forcibly removed while being assaulted by a stranger.

Police are searching for a suspect accused of taking off a woman’s hijab during an unprovoked assault in Mississauga that is being investigated as a suspected hate crime.

Peel police said it happened on the afternoon of Dec. 3 along Mississauga Valley Boulevard, south of Central Parkway East.

A woman was walking and about to reach Cooksville Creek Bridge when an unknown man confronted her, police said.

Without provocation, the man allegedly began yelling at her, forcibly removed her jacket hood and hijab and pushed her to the ground.

The man then ran away into a nearby wooded area, police said. The woman was not physically injured.

The suspect is described as a tall white man with a heavy build and was last seen wearing a black hoodie and other dark clothing.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) said the incident “is another horrifying incident that represents the rise in Islamophobia across Canada.”

“We urge every single leader on all levels of government to join communities across Canada in condemning the disturbing and often violent rise in Islamophobia,” the NCCM said. “It is time for leaders to consult further with community members to formulate specific plans that can deliver real results in the fight against hate.”

Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Hate Crime Unit at 905-453-2121 ext. 6098 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).