The Toronto police hate crimes unit is investigating a mobile advertising truck displaying Islamophobic digital images and messages after a video surfaced online, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported on Wednesday.

The videos on social media show the truck displaying questions such as, "Is this Lebanon? Is this Yemen? Is this Syria? Is this Iraq?" The truck then shows images of Muslims praying and protesting in Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto, with visible Palestinian flags.

The messages conclude with, "No. This is Canada. Wake up Canada. You are under siege."

A truck showing an #Islamophobic ad is roaming the streets of Toronto, #Canada inciting against the country's Muslims, saying that they are "besieging Canada". pic.twitter.com/aqPTgyLGIc

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) June 20, 2024

Police are asking the public to provide information or video footage of the truck.

"We recognize the community's concern about a truck displaying Islamophobic messaging in Toronto," police stated Wednesday on X.

Islamophobia, anti-Arab racism, not new phenomena

Advocates have condemned the messages as racist. Amira Elghawaby, Canada's Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, expressed her surprise and disappointment, calling for widespread condemnation of the truck's messaging.

"This type of messaging really does send quite an unfortunate message of division and hate," she told CBC.

"Sadly, Islamophobia and now anti-Palestinian racism, anti-Arab racism, these are not new phenomena. The forms that they can take can differ. What is most alarming, of course, is when they lead to Islamophobic, anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab violence," Elghawaby explained.

On X, she mentioned informing Toronto police's Muslim liaison officers about multiple reports from concerned residents.

"This clear incitement to hate Muslims is deeply worrisome given the ongoing violence that our communities continue to experience, including most recently an arson in London, Ontario, as well as physical assaults of visibly Muslim women in Scarborough, Halifax, Ottawa, and elsewhere," Elghawaby indicated earlier on X.

I have spoken with Toronto Police Muslim liaison officers and shared how I have received multiple reports from Toronto residents registering their deep concern, fear and anxiety related to the appearance of a truck displaying Islamophobic messaging.

This clear incitement to hate…

— Amira Elghawaby (@AmiraElghawaby) June 19, 2024

On its part, the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) described the truck's messages as aimed at inciting fear of Muslims in Canada.

"This is extremely dangerous messaging, and should not be condoned. We have seen Islamophobic hate kill in Canada, including in Ontario," the NCCM underlined on X, affirming that "this public campaign is pure Islamophobia and hate."

The council said it is "expecting all of our leaders to condemn this form of hate in Toronto. This needs to stop now."

The City of Toronto also issued a statement opposing all forms of hate, stressing that it "will not tolerate, ignore, or condone discrimination or harassment and is committed to promoting respectful conduct, tolerance and inclusion."

It encouraged residents to report "hate graffiti" and said that it remained "committed to saying no to all forms of discrimination and racism."