Montreal Islamic centre gets axe thrown through window

Montreal police are investigating a possible hate crime at an east-end Islamic community centre wherean axe with an anti-Muslim message written onit was thrown through a window early Tuesday morning.

Written on the axe were the words F--- Liberals and we will exterminate Muslims, the community centres director, Adil Charkaoui, confirmed to CBC News.

No one was in the Assahaba Islamic Community Centre at the time of the incident, which occurred justhoursafter the results of Quebecs provincial election were made known.

Its really sad and disturbing we were celebrating after the wonderful results we got [on Monday] and we were really disappointed to see that, Charkaoui said.

He said members of the neighbourhoods Muslim community concerned with the Parti Qubcois proposed secular charter had been there earlier to watch the election.

The PQs proposed charter would have banned the wearing of the hijab and other overt religious symbols by public sector workers.

The Liberals majority win Monday night brought an end to the PQs charter hopes, much to the relief of its many opponents.

Charkaoui found it difficult not to connect the two events.

You heard [Monday], the new premier saying that we are going to build this country together and to have good relations based on respect, and this is really shameful that we still have such attacks, Charkaoui said.

Police spokesman Cmdr. Ian Lafrenire said investigators are currently treating the incident as a hate crime, but cannot say so conclusively until they have more evidence.

Maybe at the end of this well find out it was only mischief, with a different intention, but were not taking any chances, he told CBC News.