Anti-racism educator target of online threats after 'Freedom Convoy' post

A local anti-racism educator and yoga studio owner says she has been forced to temporarily close her business after becoming the target of violent and racist online harassment threatening herself and her family.

A representative for Selam Debs confirmed to CTV News Kitchener that a media release issued by the Waterloo Regional Police Service earlier Monday was about Debs and attacks she has received.

In the release, WRPS said it has launched a criminal investigation into online comments which it considers "hateful and racist in nature." Investigators from the Investigative Services Division along with Hate Crime, Cybercrime, and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion units are involved, police said.

"We are concerned locally and we want to firmly denounce any forms of hate or vitriol that are coming online," said Supt. Eugene Fenton of WRPS. "Certainly it causes great concern for the people receiving it and safety concerns for the general public."

In a social media post, Debs said, in the past 72 hours, she has received thousands of violent and hateful messages as a result of a post she made about the relationship between the Freedom Convoy and white nationalism.

"White nationalist groups and people with right-wing extremist beliefs have intentionally targeted me as a Black woman," Debs said in part. "They have organized to strategically target and attack my business, my family and our safety."

She called on people to publicly condemn violence, racism, white supremacy and white nationalist violence, as well as writing their local elected officials and calling and emailing WRPS to demand justice.