Toronto police are investigating after a rainbow crosswalk in the city’s Gay Village was spray-painted with anti-Semitic graffiti in broad daylight.
They say the incident happened “right in the open” in the popular neighbourhood on Thursday.
Witnesses told police that they saw two people with their faces deliberately hidden spray paint a swastika onto the Church and Alexander streets intersection with black paint and then run away.
A description of a possible suspect or suspects was not immediately available.
While the case is still under investigation, police tell CP24 that they are treating the incident as a hate crime.
The Church Wellesley Neighbourhood Association issued a statement regarding the incident on Friday night.
“Last night it happened that we were aware and able to remove the offensive graffiti quickly,” the statement said. “The goal was to give the offender no satisfaction from the deed and to show a united front against hate in our community.”
“Following the act information was posted on our Facebook page to help the community quickly inform police of such actions if they occur in the future.”
The crosswalk has since been cleaned up.
Police are asking anyone who has any information about the incident to contact them.
