Man arrested after hate-motivated incident in Aurora, another being sought in separate incident

York Regional Policehave arrested a 57-year-old man and are looking for the driver of a pick-up truck, both of whom are accused of vandalizing a Pride crosswalk in the Town of Aurora.

Police said that around 3:20 this morning, an officer spotted a man spraying black paint on the Pride rainbow crosswalk at Yonge and Wellington in Aurora.

The 57-year-old man was arrested and charged with mischief.

Meanwhile, police said just before midnight on Thursday, a pick up truck drove over the crosswalk that was unveiled earlier that day as a show of support for the LGBTQ community.

The driver then returned a short time later and left some more skid marks.

Investigators believe that the marks were done intentionally and this is being investigated as a hate-motivated incident.

Police said the suspect was drivinga light-coloured pick-up truck and they are asking any witnesses, anyone with information or anyone with dashcam or video surveillance footage in that area, to come forward.

Meanwhile, Pflag York Region, an LGBTQ advocacy group,said these acts only continue to showcase to Aurora and surrounding communities that there are those who wish to obscure lived-experiences different that their own.

"It's a type of hate all marginalized groups like Black, Indigenous, Women, Muslim, Jewish and other communities continue to face that is both cultural in our behaviours and systemic in our institutions," president Tristan Coolman said in a newsrelease.

"Those who continue to act on their hate fail to realize our resolve is much stronger."