Toronto woman arrested for anti-Indian subway graffiti, charged with hate-motivated mischief

Toronto woman charged in hate graffiti

A 29-year-old Toronto woman has been arrested and charged in connection with a series of anti-Indian graffiti incidents across the city’s subway system, Toronto police said on Friday.

In a statement, the Toronto Police Service (TPS) said Megan Elsley, a resident of Toronto, was taken into custody following a hate-motivated mischief investigation.

Police said that between July 3 and December 21, 2025, officers responded to multiple reports of graffiti at various stations operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). Investigators allege that Elsley visited several stations and defaced property by writing anti-Indian messages inside stations and on subway cars.

Do you know this woman?She was seen vandalizing TTC subway stations with hateful messaging between July and December 2025. If you have any information that can help police identify her, please call police at 416-808-3500 or contact @1800222TIPS anonymously.NEWS RELEASE:… pic.twitter.com/VUSA7S0l9Q

— Toronto Police (@TorontoPolice) December 30, 2025

On January 20, detectives executed a search warrant at a Toronto residence, leading to Elsley’s arrest. She has been charged with eight counts of mischief.

“This investigation is being treated as a suspected hate-motivated offence,” the TPS said, noting that cases of this nature are handled by its Hate Crime Unit. Police added that if a person is convicted, hate motivation may be considered an aggravating factor during sentencing.

Authorities noted that anti-immigrant sentiment in Canada has grown in recent years, partly driven by a surge in newcomers under policies introduced by the government of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Although Ottawa has since moved to curb immigration levels, concerns over housing affordability and strained infrastructure have contributed to public tensions.

Indians, now the largest and most visible group of new immigrants, have increasingly faced targeting. Several videos in recent months have surfaced showing people attacked because of their national origin.

In a related case last October, Peel Regional Police arrested a 29-year-old woman in connection with anti-Indian graffiti in Mississauga, part of the Greater Toronto Area. The graffiti, found near a children’s park, included the phrase “Indian Rats” and contained derogatory remarks aimed at both the Muslim and Indian communities, police said.