Ottawa Islamic centre vandalized again as man faces charges for second time

Ottawa police have charged a man after he allegedly vandalized an Islamic community centre on Somerset Street for the second time in two weeks.

Shawn Le Guerrier, 27, is facing eight charges, including criminal harassment, causing a disturbance, failing to comply with a recognizance and assaulting a police officer, after police witnessed him making threats near the intersection of Bank and Somerset Streets early Tuesday morning, according to a release.

They confronted him and he became combative. He then assaulted officers during an attempted arrest, according to police.

Le Guerrier broke a window at the Islam Care Centre, executive director Omar Mahfouhdi confirmed.

This is the second time he has been charged for vandalizing the centre. On April 12, police charged Le Guerrier with two counts of mischief for breaking a window at the same Islamic centre and at the Ottawa Mosque.

“Some of our congregants called us at the office today expressing their fear and concern about what might happen to them since these attacks have all happened just an hour or so before the morning congregational prayer that takes place,” Mahfoudhi said in an e-mail.

This is the third time the Islamic Care Centre has been targeted in two weeks.

On April 19, the Islamic Care Centre was the victim of an arson attack, after someone intentionally set debris on fire beside the community centre’s back door, damaging items in the centre's storage room.

The police arson unit is still investigating that attack. It is not clear if it is connected to the vandalism.