Okotoks strip mall spray-painted with swastika inside Jewish star

A strip mall in Okotoks has been tagged with a swastika and the town’s mayor hopes it was an isolated incident.

The mall on Milligan Drive shows the spray-painted symbol of Nazi fascism inside the Jewish Star of David.

Mayor Bill Robertson hopes this is a case of a juvenile spray-painting haphazardly and not someone who actually believes in Nazi fascism.

“Hopefully it was an isolated incident by somebody who doesn’t understand the gravity of that particular symbol,” he said. “That symbol is in particular very hateful and inappropriate in our community.”

Robertson said he’s spoken to the RCMP who said there have been other recent incidents of graffiti vandalism, but this is the first swastika that he’s seen.

His own father was a WWII veteran, he chairs a refugee welcome committee and during his time as a teacher, ran Remembrance Day ceremonies.

“It’s unfortunate that somebody would do something like that and it is certainly a concern,” he said.

According to the most recent data by Statistics Canada, Jews remain the highest target of religious hate crimes in the country.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today