A Toronto man appears in court in Owen Sound Tuesday to face charges stemming from vandalism at an Owen Sound synagogue last month.
Paul Swanek, 60, was arrested by Toronto police on Sunday and transported to Owen Sound. Police say he has no known connections to the city, and they have evidence that he fled back to Toronto shortly after the incident.
On May 9, anti-Semitic threatening messages were found on a door of the Synagogue in Owen Sound. Detectives obtained video footage of a man committing the offence, but it took time to identify a suspect.
Swanek is charged with mischief relating to a religious property and uttering threats.
He appeared in Owen Sound court Monday and was remanded to on Tuesday, when he will reappear for a bail hearing.
In a news release from Owen Sound Police Services, Acting Detective Sergeant Daniels stated, "This criminal act of intolerance unsettled our community and is unacceptable. We appreciate the efforts of the Toronto Police Service to work with us".
