Sites tagged with hate

A number of sites in downtown Vancouver were daubed with anti-Semitic graffiti over the Labor Day weekend.

An image of a Magen David linked to a swastika appeared on the outside of the Vancouver Club on West Hastings Street and on several of the Lions Club of British Columbia-sponsored Spirit Bears in the downtown area.

Both the Lions Club and the Vancouver Club have since acted to remove the graffiti.

"Any time that [the swastika] touches anything, whether it be one of our bears or a wall somewhere or a sign, we find that offensive," said Lions Club of B.C. president Stephen Miller, "and I think the only way that really changes is through education."

To press time, calls to the Vancouver Club had not been returned.

Canadian Jewish Congress, Pacific Region, issued a statement saying the organization was working with the police and RCMP to ensure that proper measures were taken in response to this incident.

"There is no place in a city as multicultural and tolerant as Vancouver for these kinds of acts that target a particular community," said CJCPR director Mira Oreck.