Capturing bears in the wild
Tribunal rejects flight claim
$40M lottery ticket sold
Vandalism at synagogue
Man found guilty of murder
Liberal promises on crime
Man sets sail with his cat
More prisoners swapped
Judge guards peace institute
Trump threatens more tariffs 
Hudson's Bay reaches deal
Energy sector wants wins
Oilers tie up series
Teen off to main draw
Vees make roster moves
Lowering Teigen's hairline
Kim 'will never forget'
Alleged attacker speaks out
Summerland's mayor is disgusted after a shocking incident of racist graffiti left on a home and in a public park.
On Tuesday morning, Mayor Toni Boot was called by a town councillor to come see racist symbols sprayed in bright red and broken windows left from the night before.
“I saw firsthand the graffiti that was there,” Boot said. “This is a family that has lived in Summerland for over thirty years and this is the first time they have experienced it.”
The family originally called the police about the broken window, and the RCMP showed them the graffiti. They were unaware of it beforehand, according to Sgt. Dave Preston of the Summerland RCMP detachment.
Swastikas were among the symbols left covering the side of their home.
The family was shocked by this and "really right now are quite fearful," according to Boot.
For the mayor, who is Black and often shares her experiences as a person of colour in the cause of anti-racism, it wasn’t the first time she has seen and experienced similar situations, leaving her not to be shocked by the incident.
“I grew up here, I have experienced racism all my life, but it doesn’t make it more acceptable now than before.”
There were also spray painted swastikas found in Memorial Park in Summerland overnight.
Boot said that she has “Overwhelming sadness and [is] disappointed that this has happened yet again in our community.”
RCMP are now investigating.
“The fact that there was a swastika that was on the front of the house there, obviously put into a different element with a hate crime,” Preston said.
“We want to get us much information, if anyone knows anything to give us a call.”
Boot added that she’s hoping that the elected official can have a conversation amongst themselves, along with the CAO and determine the next steps.
“If there’s anything good about all of this, it is showing the truth of racism in our community and perhaps this will be an opportunity for people to start talking about it and understand it,” Boot said.
“Pushing back against it as a community, because it doesn't represent everybody that's here, it's just an expression of hate by a few cowardly individuals.”
If you have any information on the incident in Memorial Park or the house that was targeted, please contact the RCMP at 250-494-7416 or remaining completely anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
