Advocates for the Chinese community want police to classify a string of assaults on Asian-Canadians at Ontario's Lake Simcoe as hate crimes.
In four separate incidents over the last few months, fishermen were pushed into the lake on the southern shore, near Georgina Township.
One man was left in critical condition after a car chase following one of the incidents, CTV News learned.
Fishing gear was reportedly stolen or damaged during some of the assaults.
Cynthia Pay, a member of the Chinese Canadian National Council, believes victims were targeted because of their nationality.
"The entire (Chinese) community feels its impact. Our sense of belonging and security is reduced and damaged," she said at a press conference at Toronto City Hall on Thursday.
Pay also slammed York Regional Police for not labelling the incidents as hate crimes.
Staff Sgt. Ricky Veerappan, however, said the force is taking the assaults very seriously.
"These kinds of crimes not only hurt the community that's been targeted, but really, it affects many individuals within our community," Veerappan said at the news conference.
Police have laid charges against several people in connection with the incidents.
With a report from CTV's Roger Petersen
