In the wake of racist and homophobic vandalism at a local playground, residents are calling on police to investigate the acts as hate crimes.
This morning, residents awoke to find several (nearly all) of the play structures at the Sunset Point playground sprayed with racist, homophobic, violent words and phrases. There were also swastikas painted on some of the structures. Some of the phrases called for physical and sexual violence.
Casey Derrick found out about the graffiti when her husband took their 2.5-year-old son to the playground Friday morning.
“I consider this a full-blown hate crime. This is so filled with hate,” said Derrick. “If anyone feels that way, let alone enough to say it publicly in a park, there’s a huge cause for concern there.”
She said the graffiti has made her concerned for the community’s safety, and she hopes the person or people responsible are found and charged with a hate crime.
“There should be no leniency,” said Derrick. “It’s just shocking that there’s anybody here that thinks that.”
In the past, incidents involving racist slurs spray-painted on a residential garage and on a sign were investigated by OPP as “mischief.”
Some residents are calling on police to treat the playground vandalism differently.
Ted Rowe, who lives near the park, said it was hard to believe there could be this amount of hate anywhere, let alone in Collingwood.
“This is no longer mischief, this is a hate crime,” said Rowe.
Police are still investigating the vandalism at the park and have not confirmed yet whether they’d be treating it as a hate crime investigation.
The town said the park was closed today for the investigation.
A statement from the town referred to the “graffiti markings of hate crime.”
“The town is strongly committed to maintaining public spaces to ensure the safety and well-being of the community and to continued efforts to champion and support diversity, inclusion and equity in the Town of Collingwood.”
The Collingwood Unity Collective said it was “shocked and appalled” by the incident. In a statement, the group said it was an attempt to intimidate members of the community.
“We want these criminals to know that they are losing their battle against inclusion,” reads the statement. “You are acting in a way that is contrary to where this community is heading, and your hate and anger is being drowned out by the much louder voice of love, respect, and equity for all.”
A social media campaign has already been widely shared, calling on Collingwood residents to visit Sunset Point Park on Saturday, July 10 at 10 a.m. to “love bomb” the park with streamers, signs, balloons and your voice.”
The Unity Collective is calling on the “larger mass of like-minded people” to come together in response to today’s hateful display.
“We ask our community to become even more resolved to drown out the voices of ignorance and fear,” stated the Collective. “Together, we will wrap our protective arms around those who are victimized by hate.”
