Naramata targeted by racism

File Photo from this year: Deborah Pfeiffer

Enjoying music and dance at this years Harambee Festival of Families

The community of Naramata is recovering from a disgusting act of racism committed by a group of women.

On July 8, police received a report of racist graffiti spray painted at several locations on and around the Naramata Community Centre.

According to Cp. Martin Trudeau for the past decade the community centre hosts an annual week long camp called the Harambee Festival of Families, for people who have adopted children from Africa to come together for cultural connections.

Around 300 people visited the camp this year, coming from the USA, Ontario, Alberta ad elsewhere in BC to perform dance and music.

Trudeau says overnight on the 8th someone took a can of purple spray paint and covered the side of the community centre building, several road signs, and even a vehicle, with various degrading messages and racial words.

Trudeau says all of Naramata was shaken by the event.

"The visitors expressed their disgust at the markings and village residents also expressed their anger at such a cheap crime."

Police tracked down the suspect, a women from out of town who was visiting her friends in Naramata that weekend.

The woman also had outstanding warrants for her arrest. Trudeau says following the woman's arrest three other suspects were named.

The other three suspects are local female teenagers living around Naramata.

A charge of Mischief under $5000 is being recommended for all four women.