Toronto police say they are investigating not only an

anti-Muslim rally that took place on the doorstep of a

downtown mosque nearly a week ago , but allegations of

hate speech inside the mosque as well .

More than a dozen people converged on Masjid

Toronto last Friday , calling for a ban on Islam as Muslims

prayed inside . Police said that prompted multiple complaints

over the weekend from people in attendance that

day , as well as others who were not present .

After a formal complaint was filed Tuesday , the rally

is under investigation by the hate crime unit , corporate

communications director Mark Pugash confirmed to CBC

Toronto .

But less than 24 hours later , police received another

complaint — this time for alleged hate speech inside the

mosque .

Pugash would not confirm that the allegations had to

do with anti-Semitic speech , but Masjid Toronto issued a

statement earlier this week apologizing for " an inappropriate

supplication that was offensive to those of the Jewish

faith ."

" Masjid Toronto condemns all forms of hate and

racism towards any faith group or others and is committed

to offering a safe spiritual space for all congregants ,"

a statement on the mosque ' s website says .

Muslim Association of Canada spokeswoman Memona Hossain told CBC Toronto the apology referred to

Masjid Toronto - scene of anti-Islam rally

prayers made by a junior employee in 2016 .

" The incident occurred when inappropriate supplications , in Arabic , were added without authorization , and in contravention to MAC ' s code of conduct ," the organization said in a statement .

" We know who made the comments and we have suspended the employee ," said Hossain , adding that the mosque has launched an internal investigation .

She said the organization has also extended an apology for the incident to leaders of the Jewish community , including the Toronto Board of Rabbis .

Police said both incidents are now being reviewed by its hate crime unit .

Toronto Imam Hamid Slimi said he was shocked to hear of the incident , calling it " unacceptable ."

" We must denounce any anti-Semitic act ," adding Canadian Muslims must " not see our relationship with the Jewish communities through the Middle East conflict but rather through the Canadian spirit of respect and common good in addition to the historical connection through our Common father Abraham [ Peace be upon him ]."

Under the Criminal Code , a hate crime refers to a crime motivated by hate , which can be either violent or non-violent in nature and carried out to intimidate , harm or terrify not only a person , but an entire group of people to which the victim belongs .

In Canada , there are four offences listed as hate propaganda or hate crimes under the Criminal Code . These include advocating genocide , publicly inciting hatred , willfully promoting hatred , and mischief in relation to religious

property , motivated by hate .

" We have to demonstrate that a crime has taken place and if we can show that the motivation was hate , that ' s an aggravating factor that a judge can use in sentencing ," Pugash said .

But at what point does an act change from free speech to hate ?

" That ' s a conversation we ' ve been having all day ," Const . Allyson Douglas-Cook told CBC Toronto over the weekend , calling it " a fine line ."

" If the hate crimes unit discovers evidence of hate , then the way the law works , depending on how that ' s manifested , it can either be an aggravating factor in sentencing , it can form the basis of a charge ," Pugash said . " But it depends on the way in which it ' s manifested ."

On Friday , some on their way to the mosque told CBC Toronto the rally blocked them from going inside for congregational prayer . Muslims hold Friday to be the holiest day of the week .

Many in support of Friday ' s protest outside the mosque have described it as peaceful and an expression of free speech .

A Facebook event for the rally , entitled " Defy M103 — Celebrate Islamophobia ," appears to characterize the rally as a show of support for Eric Brazau , a man convicted in 2014 of wilful promotion of hatred and criminal harassment .

Last March , Brazau lost an appeal relating to a separate 2014 incident aboard a Toronto subway , in which he denounced Islam and Muslims as part of what he termed

" a social experiment ." He was convicted of mischief

, disturbance and breach of probation , and

sentenced to 20 months of jail time .

It ' s those kinds of incidents that spurred

Suraia Sahar to file a formal complaint about the

rally , she said .

" I ' m a Muslim who lives in Toronto , and I

have to see this every single day ," Sahar said on

Tuesday . " It gets emotional for me . I ' m 30 years

old , I ' ve been dealing with Islamophobia here in

Canada for half my life . Especially after the 9 / 11

attacks ."

Sahar said she felt especially threatened by

the rally because it took place less than a month

after a shooting left six men dead after an evening

prayer at Quebec City ' s busiest mosque .

" After the Quebec shooting massacre , I was

devastated . And to see our elders from our community

break down into tears after losing their

friends .… it really , really hurt ," said Sahar .

" It concerns me not just personally but it

makes me concerned for my family , for my

friends , for my community … they have the audacity

to do it less than a month after the Quebec

mosque shooting ."