The Victoria Police Department is investigating after the Chabad Centre for Jewish Life and Learning in Victoria was marked with anti-Semitic graffiti earlier this week.
Staff of the Chabad Centre contacted VicPD on April 6 at the time when the graffiti was discovered. The incident took place just prior to Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day as well, which began on Wednesday, April 7 and ends on April 8.
The incident took place on the building itself, which is located in the 2900-block of Glasgow Street.
“We know anti-Semitism exists in the world, but every time it shows its ugly face, it is terrible and horrifying, Rabbi Meir Kaplan told CHEK News. ”
The anti-Semitic graffiti was quickly removed by staff at the centre and, after a review of video surveillance footage, two suspects were caught in the act.
Officers with both the Victoria Police Department and VicPD’s Hate Crime unit are looking into the incident and hoping to identify these two individuals that were spotted on camera. Their photos can be seen at the bottom of this article.
“The fact that this was done by what appears to be young teenagers in the city is very disturbing,” Rabbi Kaplan added. “We hope that the police will be able to find out who was responsible and hopefully we will find the right way to counter this hatred.”
Police say they have yet to identify these individuals and are reaching out to the public for help.
“Hate has no place in Victoria or Esquimalt,” emphasizes the Victoria Police Department in a statement.
Anyone who recognizes these suspects or has information about this incident is being asked to call the VicPD Report Desk at (250) 995-7654 extension 1.
To report what you know anonymously, please call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
CHEK News
