Antisemitic and homophobic graffiti found on walls of Stoney Creek school, police say
Police are looking for footage from the area between 1 a.m. and 2:15 a.m. on Sunday
Hamilton police are investigating a hate crime that occurred at a Stoney Creek school on Sunday.
Police say someone reported hateful graffiti on the outside walls of St. Agnes Catholic Elementary School.
The graffiti was antisemitic and homophobic, according to police.
Police say detectives are asking people in the area to check their security cameras or dash cam footage between the hours of 1 a.m. and 2:15 a.m. Sunday for any suspicious activity.
Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board chairperson Pat Daly says the incident is reprehensible.
"We were sickened and saddened to see such despicable and hate-filled graffiti painted on the walls of one of our schools," Daly wrote in an email to CBC Hamilton.
"We hope those responsible are apprehended for their reprehensible acts."
The city saw a record number of hate crimes in 2021.
Hamilton Police Services recorded 21 hate crimes that year — more than 2019, 2018 and 2017 combined.
Police also said there were 108 reported hate incidents — 87 of which weren't considered crimes — a 35 per cent increase from 2020. But the figure is around average when compared to past years.
Almost all reported local hate crimes and incidents last year in Hamilton targeted Black, Jewish, Muslim and LGBTQ communities.
The rise in hate incidents is part of a national trend, with Statistics Canada data showing 3,360 of them across the country compared to 2,073 in 2017.
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