toronto island

People report violent suspects openly advertising cocaine for sale on Toronto Islands

Regulars at Hanlan's Point, one of Toronto's most popular beaches and a known hub for the LGBTQ2S+ community in particular, are warning the public about some recent safety concerns on the islands.

People heading to the shore to enjoy some sand, swimming and sun have been encountering serious harassment and hate, including homophobic slurs and threats that have been caught on camera.

In one clip shared to Instagram by Friends of Hanlan's this week, a man can be heard terrifyingly uttering "You're going to burn. I'll f***ing set you on fire while you're sleeping, watch me. That's not a threat, it's a f***ing premonition," in what is just one of multiple such interactions reported at the beach lately.

Apparently, the main offenders are two specific men who the group says they have received dozens of reports about lately.

The duo — who is said to be using slurs, harassing queer couples, threatening violence, throwing firewood at beachgoers and trashing people's beach setups — have also apparently been peddling barbecued sausages from an unlicensed stand, along with alcohol (illegally, of course), and even hard drugs.

Along with the video of the above mentioned exchange and photos of what the two accused look like, Friends of Hanlan's also shared a photo of a sign that the men have been toting to the beach, which advertises hot dogs, Polish sausages, beer, shots, White Claw and, shockingly, cocaine for sale at various prices.

"Yes, you read that right. These guys are selling cocaine like it's a lemonade stand," the account wrote over a photo of the sign, which was part of a gallery post about the suspects and their unauthorized BBQ stand.

"We are working with our city contacts to get them removed, but more voices calling 311 to report them and the things they are doing can help push things along."

Community members are advising one another to avoid the men shown and inform the city of any incidents witnessed.

Toronto police, meanwhile, told blogTO on Friday that they are unaware of any reports about the men thus far, but are likewise asking affected people to come forward.

"We would encourage anyone experiencing these incidents to please report them to police so they can be investigated, and so the appropriate support can be provided to victims."

Lead photo by

@friendsofhanlans


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