Quebec City police investigate possible hate crime after excrement left at store selling hijabs

Excrement was smeared earlier this week on the fronta clothing boutique in Quebec City that sells Muslim headscarves, an incident police say could be a hate crime.

The storeowner, originally from Tunisia, said he has been the target of vandalism several times since opening his store in March.

At first, he said, someone sprayed coffee on the window. Then the lock was damaged, and someone spread excrement on the storefront.

Overnight Sunday, someone againspread excrement on the storefront. This time asecurity camera was also stolen and a used adult diaper tied to the door.

CBC News is not identifying the man because he fears for his family's safety.

The store owner said he opened the store inpart to sell items specific to Muslim women, such as hijabs, but they're not featured in the window and that's not all the store sells.

He said he's not sure why he's being targeted buthe's worried about what else the vandal might do.

"My wife works here. My children are here.[But] I am not with them.I work elsewhere," he said.

He said if police don't make an arrest, he'll be closing the business to keep his clients and his family safe.

SPVQ spokespersonCyndi Par said police areinvestigatingthe latest incident at the storeasa possible hate crime.

Third incident in recent months

This is at least the third incident in Quebec City in recent months to lead to a hate-crime investigation.

In May, police opened a hate-crime investigation after a 47-year-old was accused of assaulting a Muslim man outside a mosque.

Last month, a 33-year-old man was charged with assaulting a Muslim man outside a convenience store. The Crown hasreportedly said the incident had "a racist or hateful connotation."

Two thirds of hate crimes reported in Quebec City last yeartargeted Muslims, according to Quebec City police.