Canadian politicians on Friday issued condemnations against the vandalizing of a Winnipeg community center with Nazi swastikas.
The Winnipeg Friends of Israel raised attention on Tuesday, sharing images of a swastika and initials on the wall of the Westdale Community Center. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported on Thursday that at least five swastikas had been painted on the Charleswood area building.
“Will authorities continue to pretend that Jews are overreacting or make an effort to find the perpetrators?” Winnipeg Friends of Israel challenged on Facebook.
Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham said on X/Twitter that the vandalism was a “blatant act of antisemitism” and urged the public to contact the Winnipeg Police Service if they had any information.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew urged all residents of the province to stand against antisemitism and all forms of hate, condemning the antisemitic graffiti.
“We must honor the survivors of the Holocaust and live up to our global commitment of ‘Never Again’ by calling out those voices of hatred who use the images of that dark era in human history such as in this incident,” Kinew said on social media.
Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley MP Marty Morantz called the vandals cowards and warned that they would “pay the price for your racism.”
“Am Israel Chai,” Morantz wrote on X.
Part of a disturbing trend
Winnipeg South Centre MP Benn Carr warned that the incident was part of a disturbing trend of antisemitism in the city and across Canada.
“No member of any community deserves to live in fear, especially our children, who are now forced to make sense of why there are acts of hate towards them in their own backyards,” Carr wrote on social media.
Manitoba Member of the Legislative Assembly Obby Khan also expressed concern about the rise of antisemitism in the province, promising to push for stronger laws to punish perpetrators.
“As a community leader, father, politician, and a Muslim, I stand with the Jewish community. You will not succeed in dividing us!” said Khan.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs thanked the Manitoban politicians for their support.