The RCMP are investigating some disturbing emails sent to the operators of two Indian restaurants in Chilliwack, B.C. last week.

Sam Atti, who runs the Shandhar Hut Indian Cuisine, says on Feb. 28 he received an email that said, "Chilliwack is not a place for you."

The sender wrote that Chillliwack doesn't "need the folk from India and Surrey to pollute this city," and "there is a deep longing for you to never appear there again."

Atti's son Paul says during his 28 years growing up in Chilliwack, he has never experienced such overt racism.

The same email was also sent to the only other Indian restaurant in the city, the Bay Leaf Restaurant, according to owner Sumit Guladi.

Guladi says his house was also targeted twice by vandals in recent months.

The RCMP are taking the emails seriously and are investigating the emails as a possible hate crime, according to Cpl. Tammy Hollingsworth.

"Hate crime is something that we're looking more into. Intimidation is certainly a concern for us. There are certain sections of the Criminal Code that this could potentially fall under."

In the meantime the community has rallied around the two restaurant owners and both families say they've received dozens of calls of support since speaking publicly about the emails.