Three teenagers have been charged with hate-motivated offences in Canada after allegedly assaulting two passengers on public buses in Barrie, Ontario, including a 22-year-old Sikh man whose turban was removed and beer poured on him.The incident took place on November 8, when the accused, aged 16, 18 and 19, allegedly targeted two men on separate buses within an hour, according to Barrie Police.In the first incident, around 7.15 pm, the trio allegedly harassed a 26-year-old passenger on a bus near Essa Road. They pushed and slapped him while making derogatory remarks, police said. When the man approached the driver for help, the teenagers allegedly pushed him off the bus and fled.Around 8.30 pm, the same group approached a 22-year-old passenger on another bus on Yonge Street. One of the teenagers allegedly removed his turban and poured beer on him.When the victim tried to call the police, one of the accused threw his phone to the ground. As he sought help from the bus driver, two teenagers allegedly restrained him while the third punched him in the face and body.The accused then fled in a taxi. Police located the vehicle within half-an-hour and arrested all three teenagers.Each has been charged with an offence motivated by hatred. Police have not disclosed the identities of the accused or the victims. Neither passenger suffered serious injuries.The Hindu Sikh Unity Forum Canada identified the 22-year-old victim as a Sikh.Ontario minister condemns attack on Sikh man’s turbanOntario Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism Graham McGregor condemned the incident, describing the targeting of the turban as an attack on religious freedom.”A turban is a sacred symbol of faith. Targeting it is a blatant attack on someone’s dignity and religious freedom,” he wrote in a post on X.I’m disgusted by the hate-motivated assault against a Sikh man on a Barrie Transit bus, where his turban was forcibly removed and beer was poured on him.A turban is a sacred symbol of faith. Targeting it is a blatant attack on someone’s dignity and religious freedom.Thank you to @BarriePolice for their swift action in making arrests.— Graham McGregor (@BramptonGraham) November 12, 2026The World Sikh Organisation also condemned the assaults, warning against treating such incidents as isolated acts.”The growing targeting of Sikhs demands serious attention, accountability and action to ensure Sikh Canadians can live safely,” it said in a post on X.Canada has world’s second-largest Sikh populationAccording to Canada’s 2021 Census, the country is home to 771,790 Sikhs, accounting for around 2.1 per cent of its population. More than 300,000 Sikhs live in Ontario, where Barrie is located.Canada has the world’s second-largest Sikh population after India.The two accused who are adults could face a maximum prison sentence of 10 years, while the 16-year-old could face up to three years in youth custody, according to the information provided.