Hate crimes charged in defacing of Calgary Jewish centres

Hate target: Calgary Jewish community.

CALGARY – Hate crime charges have been laid against an 18-year-old man for spray painting graffiti on Jewish institutions including the Holocaust Memorial.

Police said they issued a Canada-wide warrant for the man but did not reveal his name since he was 17 at the time extensive damage was done to the Calgary Jewish Centre and Holocaust memorial in Pump Hill, and the Chabad Lubavitch centre in Woodbine.

“Overnight, between Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009, and Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009, anti-Semitic slogans and signs were spray-painted on various locations in the communities of Pump Hill and Woodbine,” police said.

“The graffiti targeted the Jewish community, with slogans painted on the Calgary Jewish Centre and Holocaust memorial in Pump Hill, and the Chabad Lubavitch centre in Woodbine,” cops said.

Police did not say how they plan to arrest the man without naming him. In certain cases police can get waivers and name a young offender for a certain amount of time.

The warrants specify charges of mischief to property as well as hate-related charges of mischief to a place of religious worship motivated by hate and inciting public hatred.

“As the offence was committed when the suspect was 17, the man can not be named under provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act,” police said.

Police said the investigation was complex and the crime was solved through public help.

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Related articles:

1. Hate slogans spray painted on Calgary Jewish Centre
2. Hate mongers hunted in Calgary Jewish centre graffiti

Posted by News Editor on Mar 17 2010. Filed under Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry