Disturbing words and graphic images spray painted on a New Hamburg elementary school are being treated as a hate crime.
The vandalism at Forest Glen Public School includes a reverse swastika, a face with crossed-out eyes, death threats and more.
Waterloo Region police spokesperson Olaf Heinzel says “The initial officer who investigated is treating this as a hate-based crime and we’re moving forward on that basis.”
The investigation has been transferred to the provincial hate crimes unit.
At the school, the vandalism has been difficult for young children to deal with, with a lot of graffiti near the doorway used by children in kindergarten.
About 550 students attend the school. Parent Michelle Swartzentruber saw the graffiti when she brought her child in for classes Monday morning.
“It was very inappropriate and it was just very disrespectful, especially for younger students here…It was nothing that I wanted to see at an elementary school or anywhere.”
Principal Lynne Green says the custodian discovered the vandalism shortly after 7 a.m., and while it was quickly washed away or painted over, it has had an impact on the students.
“We just talked about the fact that it was not nice, and that it seemed as though whoever did it was maybe a bit angry or just wasn’t thinking about what they were doing or the impact on others.”
The Waterloo Regional Police Service is asking anyone with information on the vandalism to contact them or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
