One man in Calgary has been charged by the police for allegedly putting stickers promoting white supremacy in a public changing room in January, in what police have labeled as a hate-motivated act of causing damage.
According to a news release on Wednesday, a man placed stickers promoting white supremacist beliefs in the public amenities at the MNP Community and Sport Centre at 2225 Macleod Trail S.E. The staff at the recreation centre quickly removed the stickers and reported the incident to the police.
Following a review of CCTV footage on Monday, March 18, the Calgary Police Service identified and charged one man in connection with the incident.
Mark Lloyd Pearson, a 50-year-old from Calgary, has been charged with one count of mischief that has been determined to have been motivated by hate.
The police explained that hate-motivated crimes are recognizable offenses (such as assault, theft, vandalism, etc.) in which the perpetrator was driven by prejudice, bias, or hate towards personal characteristics of the victim.
Acting Sgt. Matt Messenger stated, “We have observed similar stickers endorsing white supremacy being affixed to objects in various public areas throughout Calgary.”
He added, “Calgary is the third most diverse city in Canada, and these stickers are strategically placed in spots easily visible to the public in order to make people feel unwelcome and excluded. This is not acceptable, and we will continue to ensure those responsible are held responsible.”
