A 32-year-old woman has been charged with a Hate/Bias Motivated Offence following an investigation by the SPS Hate Crime Unit.

At approximately 1:40 p.m., May 2, 2022, a 23-year-old woman reported being confronted by an unknown woman while at a library in the 200 block Avenue K South. The 32 year old began chasing the younger woman while using racial slurs. The suspect then left the scene.

The 32 year old is facing one count of common assault.

Court information # 991195756.

In an effort to increase awareness around hate-motivated crime and to improve access to reporting related incidents, the SPS has created a web page on the topic and added to its online reporting function. For more information visit;

https://saskatoonpolice.ca/onlinereporting/hatecrime/

https://saskatoonpolice.ca/hatecrime/.

The SPS Hate Crime Unit was created in January 2022, is part of the Interpersonal Conflict Section and is designed to provide support to front line officers and other investigative units.

The Unit monitors hate-motivated crime for the purpose of aiding and identifying crimes and criminals and to assist with sentencing at the end of the judicial process.

This is important because Section 718 of the Criminal Code of Canada allows for increased sentences to be considered where there is evidence that a hate-motivated crime has been committed.