The person shown in security camera footage is believed responsible for painting a large, red swastika on the front window of a prominent central Nanaimo business on the Island Hwy. overnight on Thursday, Oct. 14. (Nanaimo RCMP)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

HATE SPEECH

Swastika painted, quickly removed at high-profile central Nanaimo business

Oct 22, 2021 | 9:09 AM

NANAIMO — Police are looking to identify a person they believe is responsible for at least one swastika which was spray painted in the city recently.

Employees at a prominent central Nanaimo business on the Island Hwy. arrived at work on Friday, Oct. 15 to find a large, red swastika painted on the front window. A similar symbol was discovered Wednesday, Oct. 13 on concrete near the Cameron Island Condominiums in downtown Nanaimo.

Cst. Gary O’Brien said surveillance cameras in front of the business captured a person with a spray can in their hand in front of the business.

“[The symbols] were documented and quickly removed. We think, just based on they’re both done on red paint, very large and very graphic, that they could be done by the same person.”

Police said it’s not clear from the image whether the suspect is male or female, but has very distinctive bright red or orange hair.

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O’Brien added they’re not releasing images of the graffiti itself due to what the symbol represents. Lead officers are also working with the detachment’s hate crime unit as part of the investigation.

“We’ve had about four of five occurences in the last two or three years (of hate-themed graffiti). They pop up every so often, they’re quickly removed. We don’t like to publicize it but in this particular case we have a person identified.”

In early July, a man defaced the rainbow crosswalk at Commercial St. and Bastion St. with black paint and a roller. The same person is also believed to have painted over a pride mural nearby.

O’Brien said it remains an open investigation.

Police believe the man in this picture is responsible for defacing a rainbow crosswalk in downtown Nanaimo. (Nanaimo RCMP)

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