An investigation is underway after offensive graffiti was discovered along a stretch of fencing in the city.
The Peterborough Police Service says an offensive racial slur was spray painted multiple times along a fence on Airport Road south of Sir Sanford Fleming Drive. The graffiti appeared sometime overnight between Thursday, March 19 and about 8:20 am on Friday, March 20.
Investigators say the slur was written nine times across a roughly 300-metre section of fence.
The incident has been classified as a hate or bias crime. Police note that while graffiti falls under mischief in the Criminal Code of Canada, the language used makes this case hate-motivated.
Chief Stuart Betts said, “It is beyond disappointing to learn about this incident. 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. We believe that hate, in any form, has no place in our community and will continue to investigate. 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 dash cam footage is asked to contact police at 705-876-1122 ext. 555 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
