A man surrendered himself to police on Monday after allegedly punching a person repeatedly in the head at an anti-Israel demonstration on Oct. 10 in Toronto.
The Toronto Police Service’s hate crime unit alleges that Martin Salgatar, 20, of Mississauga, was walking in a demonstration near Yonge and Grosvenor Streets when he attacked the victim from behind without provocation.
The blows knocked the victim to the ground, injuring his face and leg, according to police.
A police spokesman told JNS it was a “pro-Palestine event” and that the hate crime unit investigates “any arrests made at demonstrations.”
Video footage that circulated on social media appeared to show the attacker strike the victim from behind, pull him to the sidewalk and punch him repeatedly, as fellow anti-Israel protesters tried to stop him.
The protesters then appear to berate the victim, who is on the ground bleeding from the face, and a man wearing a sweatshirt with an upside-down red triangle—a Hamas terror symbol—seems to curse the victim and accuse him of “trying to pick fights.”
“You f****** deserve it, you piece of sh**,” the man yells.
After a screenshot of the suspect’s face from the video footage circulated on Monday, Salgatar turned himself in.
He was scheduled to appear at the Toronto Regional Bail Centre on Oct. 13. Police announced the charge on Oct. 14.
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