Police investigate possible hate crime

Thunder Bay Police are investigating an alleged sexual assault that may be a possible hate crime.

A 36-year-old First Nations woman filed a complaint saying she was abducted on Blucher Avenue last week around 9 p.m.

Police said the woman claims she was then taken to a wooded area where the alleged assault occurred north of County Boulevard.

The attackers are being described by the victim as Caucasian who made numerous racist remarks and references to the ongoing Idle No More protests.

Acting detective inspector, Don Lewis, said looking at the incident as a possible hate crime changes the investigation.

"If it's motivated by someone's race for instance in this case, then it would lend credence to the fact that it may put other women of First Nations descent in a risk category based on that information," Lewis said.

Police said the investigation began Friday and officials are searching for two suspects in their mid-30s driving a green two-door vehicle.

'Get word out there'

The woman's name and community are not being released.

The family made allegations on Facebook about the alleged assault, which have since been pulled down. 

The person who posted and removed the item wrote that: "The purpose of sharing the information about what happened to a First Nation woman today was to get word out there to promote safety in our communities as well as to promote continued non-violent actions, despite the violence we continue to face."