The RCMP suspects arson to be the cause of a fire that destroyed a Prince Edward Island gay couple's home on Oct 18, reports PEI media. 

The Little Pond, PEI, couple has not spoken to media, but here's what the RCMP told Charlottetown's The Guardian:

Police would not say if they are investigating the fire as a possible hate crime or as an attempted double murder.

RCMP Sgt Bob Fogarty would only reiterate that the police consider the fire to be a criminal matter and that arson is suspected in the blaze that razed the couple’s home.... Souris RCMP was also called to the same address after the mailbox was burned on Oct 12.

A neighbour told The Guardian that the couple faced "unsettling harassment from anonymous persons" before the fire. A local United Church minister is condemning the incident as a hate crime.

Two gay men were attacked in Windsor early Sunday morning — the second reported gaybashing in the city in less than two weeks.

Windsor Police released this description of the attack, which occurred at a pizza restaurant in downtown Windsor:

"The restaurant was very busy after the downtown bars had closed for the evening. The victims were in line behind a group of three men who began to make derogatory comments about the victims behind them loud enough that everyone in the restaurant could hear. One of the men in the group was particularly loud and continued to make disparaging remarks about the two victim's sexual orientation. After a number of comments were made, one of the victims confronted the loudest of the three and advised him that he should be ashamed of the way he was speaking. Immediately, the suspect punched one of the victims on the side of the head knocking him to the floor. The second victim yelled 'Hey' to the suspect and the suspect walked toward the second victim punching him in the nose also knocking him to the floor. The second victim was bleeding profusely. Store employees yelled for someone to call the police which prompted the suspect to exit the restaurant and walk north on Ouellette Ave.   

Both victims were taken to hospital where they were treated and released for facial injuries. One of the victims sustained a broken nose and broken cheek bone, which will require reconstructive surgery to repair the injuries.

27-year-old John Raymond Meloche of Amherstburg is facing charges of public incitement of hatred, assault causing bodily harm, assault, assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. 

Pizza Pizza on Ouellette Ave in downtown Windsor. (Google Streetview)

Windsor Police are also looking to speak to the two men who were with the suspect at the time of the assaults. Anyone with any information as to their identities is asked to call Windsor Police Investigations at 519-255-6700  x4830 or Crime Stoppers (anonymously) at 519-258-TIPS (8477).

One of the men is described as being 20 years old, 5'9", average build with a shaved head and a gap between his front teeth. He was wearing a white T-shirt and shorts. A description of the second man is not available, but there were a number of patrons in the restaurant at the time of the assault who may have witnessed the events.

Less than two weeks ago, gay man Chris Rabideau was robbed and beaten by two men who shouted homophobic slurs. Police have arrested two suspects.

Crown counsel Dasein Nearing made history today in BC Supreme Court.

Not only did she seek a hate crime designation in the Jordan Smith gaybashing, but she actually cited a pile of case law to back up her position.

"This event was extremely serious and had a devastating effect on the victim and his partner and a chilling effect on the gay and lesbian community of Vancouver," Nearing told the court at Michael Kandola's sentencing hearing on April 26.

I could have kissed her. Nearing becomes the third Crown counsel in Vancouver history to seek a hate crime designation in a gaybashing case.

Smith and his boyfriend, Charles McKay, were walking in hand in hand on Davie St in September 2008 when a group of five Indo-Canadian men yelled "Fucking faggots" and "What the fuck is this?"

Smith dropped McKay's hand and turned to confront the men, the court heard today. "What do you mean, 'What the fuck is this?'" he asked.

The men surrounded him. Kandola came around the side of the group, pulling back his arm and clenching his first, a video of the incident, played in court, shows. Then he sucker-punched Smith, breaking his jaw and knocking him to the ground unconscious. 

Kandola then stood over Smith's prone body and continued to yell "Fucking faggot," the court heard.

"You think this case has had a chilling effect on the gay community?" I asked Nearing outside the courtroom.

"I think it does, doesn't it?" she replied.

"I think the language was very indicative that they were targeted because they were two men holding hands," she said. 

Kandola, who pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm in March, didn't turn his aggression on just anyone, Nearing noted. "The issue is that he was aggressive towards a specific group on this occasion."

She's got my vote for Crown counsel of the year.

And the crux of Kandola's defence?

Yes, he used homophobic terms, his lawyer told the court, but it wasn't a gaybashing. He didn't hit Smith because he hates gay people. 

He hit Smith because Smith had the "audacity" to confront him about the homophobic slurs he'd just yelled, Danny Markowitz argued.

Seriously?

The judge will release his sentencing decision on Friday at 2pm. 

Read more about today's sentencing hearing