Antisemitic graffiti condemned in Whitby

Whitby town council made a special note during its last meeting to condemn antisemitic graffiti burned into a public park.

Back in August, an unidentified suspect used a heavy industrial chemical to burn a swastica into the soccer field at Prince of Wales Park. This park sits north of Dundas Street near the Thickson Road intersection.

The mark was burned into the grass around 10 p.m. When first responders arrived to extinguish the blaze, Durham Police officers found a blue chemical container at the scene.

In the wake of the discovery, Mayor Elizabeth Roy said, “I condemn this act of hate in the strongest possible terms.” The graffiti was found in Prince of Wales Park, just north of Dundas Street near the Thickson Road intersection.

She continued, “Whitby embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion. We strive to make our town a place where everyone feels a sense of belonging and safety.” She called the discovery “an attack on the values that define us as a community and will not be tolerated.”

“This shocking act of hate in Whitby is a stark reminder of the troubling rise in antisemitism across Canada,” said Jewish advocacy group B’nai Brith said, “A swastika burned into the grass at Prince of Wales Park not only defaces public property but deeply wounds our efforts to protect and uphold traditional Canadian values.” B’nai Brith, founded in 1875, is Canada’s oldest human rights advocacy group

Town council held a meeting on Oct. 7 during which they were meant to discuss the condemnation. The date would have been fitting as the anniversary of the deadly Hamas terrorist attack on Israel which killed 1,200 Israelis. The attack has been described as the deadliest against Jewish people since the Holocaust. It was deliberately timed to coincide with Jewish holiday Simchat Torah

The attack led to Israel’s ongoing invasion and bombardment of the Palestinian Gaza Strip, which they’ve had under blockade since 2007. This military action has razed the city of 2 million, killing about 42,000 Palestinians. About 750 people in the West Bank and 67,000 in Lebanon and Syria have also been killed in spill-over campaigns.

While this date would have been fitting, Councillor Christopher Leahy derailed the Oct. 7 meeting with allegations that the council treated his longtime ally, Councillor Steve Yamada, with anti-Asian racism. The assertion led to a heated exchange with Mayor Elizabeth Roy. Council adjourned the meeting when Leahy would not apologize or leave.

As a result, the town held another meeting on Oct. 9 to conclude the interrupted business. Council passed a motion saying the town “condemns in the strongest terms possible the recent acts of antisemitism and hate” and “restates its commitment to an inclusive and welcoming town for all Whitby residents.”

The motion passed two days before Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement, one of Judaism’s High Holy Days.

The motion notes Council will commit to looking for ways to educate residents about antisemitism, and directs Chief Administration Officer Matt Gaskell, in partnership with relevant divisions, to support Jewish community members in reporting hate crimes.