Peterborough police are investigating a hate-bias crime after an offensive racial slur was spray-painted nine times along a 300-metre section of fence on the east side of Airport Road south of Sir Sandford Fleming Drive.
According to police, the incident happened sometime overnight on Thursday (March 19) and was reported at around 8:20 a.m. the following day.
Although graffiti is considered mischief under the Criminal Code of Canada, the use of an offensive racial slur makes it a hate-motivated crime.
“It is beyond disappointing to learn about this incident,” Peterborough police chief Stuart Betts said in a statement. “In fact, it is angering. We are currently in the midst of an anti-hate campaign in this city and to see something like this only highlights the need for additional education and enforcement.”
The Peterborough Police Service recently launched a revamped N0H8 (pronounced “No Hate”) public education and awareness campaign intended to raise awareness about what hate looks like, provide educational resources, encourage people to report hate or bias incidents, and reinforce that hate will not be tolerated in the community.
“We believe that hate, in any form, has no place in our community and will continue to investigate,” Betts said. “We are asking anyone who may have seen something suspicious in that area or has camera footage to come forward.”
Anyone with information, security camera footage or dashcam footage is asked to contact Peterborough police at 705-876-1122 ext. 555. To submit an anonymous tip, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or stopcrimehere.ca.
