Video shows 2 women defacing election sign for Qubec Solidaire Muslim candidate

Timothy Merlis says he was jogging along St-ViateurStreet in OutremontSunday when he saw two women vandalizing electionsigns for ve Torrs, a Qubec Solidairecandidate who is Muslim.

Merlishas now filed a complaint to Quebec's chief electoral officer (DGEQ) and shared video he took of the two women.

In the video, one of the women pulls down the sign to write "un tat lac(a secular state)" on Torrs's headscarf, while the other looks at Merlisand laughs.

Merlis, a McGillUniversity associateprofessor,says he saw them defaceanother sign before that. He says he "was upset by their Islamophobic actions," and that he believed the vandalism was illegal, prompting him to notify the DGEQ.

"I was shocked at what I was seeing," Merlissaid in an interview on CBC Montreal'sDaybreakMonday. "These women were doing vandalism in broad daylight and I think they should be held accountable."

He says it was about 2:30 p.m. when the women were writing on the signs.

The DGEQsaid it could not comment on individual complaints, but that it was up to police to deal with vandalism on electoral posters because defacing them is a crime.

Montreal police say they have opened a file into the matter, but can't investigate unless one of the implicated parties files a complaint.

Less than two weeks ago, another Muslim candidate in the Quebec provincial election had a sign vandalized in Quebec City.

Independent candidate Ali Dahan'sposter was riddled with plastic bullets. A 26-year-old man later turned himself in to police, who said they were not considering it a hate crime.