Friday, March 29, 2024

Two men suspected of graffitiing hate slurs at Colwood school arrested

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West Shore RCMP have arrested two adult men involved in an incident which saw a newly painted rainbow crosswalk in Colwood vandalized.

On May 16th, shortly after midnight, officers responded to a report that between 18 and 20 people in the parking lot of Royal Bay Secondary School in Colwood were spray painting the walls of the school.

The group fled after a nearby resident confronted the vandals.

West Shore RCMP responding to the area stopped a vehicle with three occupants inside, and after a preliminary investigation, two adult men were arrested for Mischief.

Both men are residents of Colwood. Graffiti was located on the walls of the school and outbuildings and the next day graffiti was discovered on the rainbow crosswalk.

The graffiti included hate crime slurs against the LGBTQITS+ community.

West Shore RCMP said that the investigation into the incident is ongoing, but includes mischief for the spray painting of the school, and Inciting public hatred for painting obscene sexual images and hate language on the rainbow crosswalk.

“This targeted attack on a symbol of welcome and acceptance is reprehensible.”said Constable Meighan Massey, the Media Relations Officer, West Shore RCMP.

“Behaviour inciting hate and intolerance will not be condoned in our communities.”

The crosswalk has since been repainted with the help of volunteers.

West Shore RCMP are asking any witnesses or people with information to call them at (250) 474-2264.

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