Sherbrooke man accused of threatening mosques, mayor

Police in Sherbrooke arrested a 57 year-old man early Thursday morning after a series of threatening 911 calls targeting the city's mayor and its mosques.

The arrest comes amid heightened concern following the deadly attack on a Quebec City mosque last month. Montreal police have noted a rise in hate speech complaints since the shooting.

Mayor Bernard Svignytold Radio-Canada the drama beganWednesday nightas he was taking in a hockey game between Sherbrooke Phoenix and the Quebec Remparts.

Svigny was in a private box with severalguests, including Quebec City Mayor Rgis Labeaume.

"During the second intermission, police came into the private box and asked us all to leave," Svigny said.

He said officers told him that they'd received a specific threat targeting him and his entourage ina 911 call, and that they wanted to check the box for a suspicious package.

Svigny and his guests were hustled out of the arena while the game continued. The search turned up nothing.

Suspect threatened mosque

Sherbrooke police spokesperson Martin Carrier told Radio-Canadathe threatening 911 calls continued through the night.

Police were able to track the calls to the residence of a 57-year-old man.

Carrier said as officers arrived to make the arrest, they interrupted the man making yet another call.

"Officers overheard him making threats against mosques in Sherbrooke," Carrier said.

He saidfought back against officers before being taken into custody.

Carrier said investigators don't believe the man intended to follow through on his threats.

The suspect is expected to appear in court Thursday afternoon.

"It's alarmingwhenever something like this happens, and when you''re personally the subject of a threat it's even more surprising," Svigny said.

Svigny said there would be heightened police surveillance of mosques in Sherbrooke over the next few days.