Good morning {{First name}}!
Some scary news coming out of the Okanagan right now. Premier David Eby declared a provincial state of emergency as wildfires rage across BC, with more than 21K British Columbians displaced. Many of the evacuees have fled from towns on Okanagan Lake, where multiple blazes have grown quickly over the weekend.
My thoughts are with everyone affected by the situation and I hope these beautiful communities recover quickly.
— Robyn
Today’s approx. read time: 7 minutes
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NEWS
Victoria youth shelter the target of
hate-motivated graffiti
Graffiti on the door of Kiwanis Emergency Youth Shelter. Photo: Grace Lore / Facebook
The Victoria Youth Empowerment Society (YES) confirmed its Kiwanis Emergency Youth Shelter was the target of the “hate-motivated” graffiti reported by VicPD this week.
On Tuesday, VicPD shared an image of a suspect it believes vandalized a building on Vancouver Street last Sunday. Police asked for the public’s assistance in identifying the person, described as “a white man, approximately six feet tall, with long dark hair, a dark moustache, and a tattoo on his left hand.”
“The incident is being investigated as mischief and a possible hate-motivated offence,” said VicPD in a statement.
On Friday, Grace Lore, MLA for Victoria-Swan Lake, shared images of the graffiti on social media, urging the community to support YES as it repaired the damage.
The photos showed the front door of YES—painted with its slogan “The world is a better place with you(th) in it”—covered in black spray paint, including what appeared to be multiple swastikas. The front steps, painted rainbow, seem to have also been damaged.
White paint was later used to cover up the graffiti on the door and steps, which Lore described as “hateful, homophobic, and antisemitic” messages.
Lore said she spoke this week with operators of the Kiwanis Emergency Youth Shelter, which provides emergency support to youth aged 13 to 18, and was told by a team member that “a hate crime took place while youth slept in the place where they’re supposed to be safe.”
“This is beyond unacceptable and a reminder that we need to stand together against hate and take seriously anti-human rights sentiment,” said Lore. “We also need to stand together for youth, with community partners, and all those working to care for our most vulnerable neighbours.”
YES responded to Lore’s post, thanking her for allowing the team to “share [their] frustration and sadness over what happened.”
“We will continue to show up for the youth we serve and know that our community is so much more than this one act of hate,” YES operators wrote in a comment.
The spray-painted damage occurred exactly a year after Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue was vandalized with antisemitic graffiti. In November, the suspect pleaded guilty to mischief to property used for religious worship; a sentencing decision is scheduled for September.
⚠ Capital Bulletin
Missing Person: Taisa Verbitchi, 32, was last seen July 22 after being dropped off to camp near Woss that evening. [Saanich PD]
Smoke testing in Rock Bay: White smoke may be seen coming from maintenance holes and gutters tomorrow and Tuesday. [City of Victoria]
Prince Harry, Bill Gates among guests at David Foster Foundation Gala. [Times Colonist]
Cadboro Bay Festival is today at Cadboro-Gyro Park, 11am-3pm.
Bowker Creek Brush-Up Arts Show and Sale is today, 11am-4:30pm in Oak Bay.
Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.
On the water today? Check the tide times for Victoria.
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