MP joins chorus condeming swastika found burned into Whitby soccer field

The growing chorus of condemnation of a swastika found burned into a Whitby soccer field has added the voice of the town’s MP.

The partially drawn anti-Semitic mark was burned into the grass at Prince of Wales Park on August 9, 2024, at approximately 10:00 p.m. When Durham Police officers arrived they found the symbol in the grass of the soccer field. They also found a blue container in the field.

Police have called on anyone with information or who saw someone with a blue container near the park last night to come forward.

The discovery prompted condemnation from Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy and council. “I condemn this act of hate in the strongest possible terms,” she said in statement, “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.” The symbol, which neither Whitby nor the police described, has been covered up. The town immediately dispatched repair crews to clean up the mess.

Counselor Chris Leahy reported the incident to B’nai Brith Canada, a Jewish advocacy group. The organization is Canada’s oldest human rights group having been founded in 1875.

In a statement, they confirmed the mark was a partially burned swastika. “This shocking act of hate in Whitby is a stark reminder of the troubling rise in antisemitism across Canada,” 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.”

Most recently, Whitby’s MP Ryan Turnbull also released a staement saying he was “deeply disturbed” by the swastika. ” This act of hate and vandalism has no place in our community and undermines the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion that we hold dear,” he said.

“We must stand together against hate and discrimination in all its forms and work toward creating a community that is welcoming and inclusive to all,” h concluded, urging anyone with information to come forward to police.

The swastika was once a symbol of various meanings in Eastern religions for many thousands of years. However, the German Nazi Party appropriated the symbol early in the 20th century. It has since become inextricably linked to anti-Semitism and the Holocaust. Numerous neo-Nazi organizations continue to use the swastika as a hate symbol.