NANAIMO RCMP say that sometime over the weekend, eight bus stop bench ads featuring advertisements for Chinese real estate agents were spray painted with ethnic slurs: another had a swastika spray painted on it. Currently there are no suspects or witnesses.
It is believed the benches were defaced late in the evening of Saturday, June 13 or early in the morning on Sunday June 14. The company responsible for the bench ads, Creative Outdoors, is currently in the process of cleaning the spray paint from each sign. They have reported the cost to clean one bench could range from $200 to $1000.
The racism against Chinese-Canadians has been whipped up by some mainstream media and racist organizations accusing rich Chinese of being responsible for buying houses and driving up real estate prices while living abroad.
“These incidents are disturbing and are being actively investigated. We are hoping anyone who saw any suspicious persons or vehicles around the benches, from Stephenson Point to Malaspina Crescent will call and report it”, said Constable Gary O’Brien of the Nanaimo RCMP. If you do not wish to provide your name, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, text 274637, keyword Nanaimo or go online at www.nanaimocrimestoppers.com