Ottawa police investigate hate crime after Muslim school targeted with graffiti
Ottawa police have launched a hate crime investigation after someone spray-painted messages on the wall of a Muslim elementary school in Ottawa overnight.
Ottawa police have launched a hate crime investigation after someone spray-painted messages on the wall of a Muslim elementary school in Ottawa overnight.
People who live near the school contacted the police for help as they saw the graffiti.
Children were kept inside at recess while the messages were removed.
People who live near the Ahlul-Bayt Islamic Education Centre in Vanier said they contacted police and the school Monday morning after waking up to see the phrases “Die Bombers,” “ISIS Go Home” in orange and black paint on its back wall.
“It’s very upsetting,” said Nour Matar, a teaching assistant,”It intimidates our students, it intimidates the staff here and it’s really sad to see that even though we’re Canadian citizens, people always try to scare us.”
“We just need to make people aware, this is serious. They bring deadly messages,” said teacher Fatime Haidoura.
Haidoura added children were kept inside at recess while the messages were removed.
She said their building gets spray-painted with graffiti about once a year, but this is the first time vandals have left such hateful messages behind.
