Ottawa Police Service’s hate and bias crime unit is investigating a series of antisemitic posters that appeared in the city.
The incident occurred Nov. 7 in the Centrepointe Drive area, when posters with antisemitic and hateful content were discovered near a skate park, a police media statement says.
Police are investigating eight similar incidents throughout the west end of the city and Barrhaven.
“The Ottawa Police takes hate crimes seriously and is fully investigating these matters,” according to the statement.
The Jewish Federation of Ottawa’s CEO also denounced the posters.
“These disgusting posters are virulently antisemitic and deeply disturbing,” Andrea Freedman said in a Nov. 8 statement. “The significant rise in antisemitism has the community on edge and concerned, with these posters as the latest manifestation.”
Freedman said the Federation is in regular contact with Ottawa police, “and we are comforted that the police are taking this very seriously and investigating the incidents as a hate crime.”
Police urge members of the public that if they see a poster, not to remove it but to photograph it, noting the time and location, then contact police.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Hate Crime Unit at 613-236-1222, ext. 5015.
