Canada lays first ever terror charges in murder linked to misogynist ‘incel’ movement
- 17-year-old accused of killing woman at massage parlour was allegedly inspired by online group of women-hating men
- If convicted, he faces automatic life sentence or 25 years in prison before being eligible for parole
A 17-year-old accused of murdering a woman at a Toronto massage parlour has become the first person in Canada to be charged with terrorism over his suspected ties to the misogynist “incel” movement.
The young man was originally charged in February in the stabbing death of a 24-year-old woman in downtown Toronto.
Another woman and a man were also injured in the attack.
On Tuesday, police announced that they were adding terrorism charges after discovering that the teen had allegedly been inspired by the “incel” movement, an online group of women-hating men who describe themselves as “involuntary celibate”.
Members of the loose collective have targeted attractive and sexually active women and men with violence and online vitriol.
But this case marks the first time in Canada that police have recognised an allegedly misogynistic crime as terrorism.