The Winnipeg Police Service says that a well-publicized hate crime last week never, in fact, took place. The owners of the business have now been charged as a result of the false allegations. 

Three suspects have since been taken into custody following the alleged hate crime.

Following an investigation conducted by the WPS, Police Chief Danny Smyth says that while a crime has certainly taken place, it was not a hate crime. Three owners of the BerMaxx Caffé and Bistro have been charged with Public Mischief for allegedly staging an attack on their own establishment.

While motive at this time is still unsure, Smyth says police will continue to investigate. Smyth says the police are also investigating previous anti-Semitic attacks on the business were also staged.

Smyth says that police took the incident in good faith at the time, and will continue to do so for future instances of hate crimes in Winnipeg.

"These are just a few individuals that do not act on behalf of the community," said Smyth.

Injuries sustained by one of the suspects in the course of the alleged staged attack are not believed to have been significant.

The Police Chief also reported that 25 officers had invested nearly 1,000 hours over the busy holiday weekend investigating the staged event.

Most hate crimes are tracked by police and involve graffiti and acts of vandalism, explained Smyth. Police do not believe there have been any other instances of staged hate crimes in Winnipeg at this time.

The three suspects will appear in court later in May.