A banner hung on an overpass south of Campbell River depicting a white nationalist statement is 害羞草研究所渘ot something we want our community to be known for,害羞草研究所� says RCMP Sgt. Chris Voller.
The banner, which displayed a link to a Telegram Channel, which the company says is a 害羞草研究所渢ool for broadcasting your public messages to large audiences害羞草研究所� as well as a message with white supremacist content, was pictured hanging on the Airport Main overpass where it crosses Highway 19. The image has been shared on Facebook as well as Reddit, and had come to the attention of the Campbell River RCMP detachment.
害羞草研究所淟ike any other citizen of our area, I was disappointed,害羞草研究所� said Voller. 害羞草研究所淚 look at Campbell River as having a pretty diverse cultural background. We have a lot of Indigenous people, we害羞草研究所檙e a melting pot society, we have all this representation and then there害羞草研究所檚 somebody who is deciding to put this kind of message out.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 twofold: it害羞草研究所檚 the wrong message 害羞草研究所� obviously that sort of thing has no place in Campbell River 害羞草研究所� and then two, to other individuals who are visiting our area it really reflects poorly on what I think Campbell River害羞草研究所檚 community base is,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a good, respectful group of people that finds that different cultures actually enrich community and don害羞草研究所檛 take away from it, as that person would purport.害羞草研究所�
Voller害羞草研究所檚 sentiment was echoed on social media. One Reddit user wrote in response to a person of colour living in Campbell River that 害羞草研究所渢his is DEFINITELY not what CR is about. A group of my friends drove down to take it down, but it was already cut. Please know that you are more than welcome in our community.害羞草研究所�
Voller said the detachment had another report about this kind of thing a few months ago. He is asking if people see further banners or messages like this to report them to the RCMP non-emergency line immediately.
害羞草研究所淲e would never promote a driver using a digital device, but if they could note if there害羞草研究所檚 a person or vehicle present there, we would value that,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚f they are able to wait with it, let the police know and we害羞草研究所檒l get there as soon as possible害羞草研究所� Please leave it as it is, let the police get there and handle it. It would be treated as evidence.害羞草研究所�
Though the social media attention could have the effect of increasing the message害羞草研究所檚 reach, Voller said that within Campbell River he thinks there is 害羞草研究所渘o appetite for that.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淧eople deserve to not have to see that. There害羞草研究所檚 enough tragic things going on in the world that draw our attention to negative things, we don害羞草研究所檛 need this in Campbell River,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭his is the first time I害羞草研究所檝e seen something that I believe is a race-based hate crime. It害羞草研究所檚 hard to say if this would meet the definition for a hate crime, but it害羞草研究所檚 certainly inflammatory. It害羞草研究所檚 racialized, and not anything that we would want to have in our community.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淥ur community has gone through a lot,害羞草研究所� he said 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e had a lot of issues, especially in the past few months with violence and this sort of thing, and this is just not becoming of our community.害羞草研究所�
The RCMP non-emergency line is 250-286-6221.
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marc.kitteringham@campbellrivermirror.com
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