Toronto (October 23, 2019) – Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) is pleased to note the quick arrest of a man over the weekend after Hamilton police received reports that someone was spray painting a dumpster with Nazi symbols.

According to a statement by the Hamilton Police Service, the dumpster was covered with “swastikas, SS lightning bolt symbols as well as hate/bias-related speech sprayed with black paint.” Hamilton police said the man has white supremacist ties.

The man was charged with mischief under $5,000. Earlier this month, Hamilton police also charged two men after antisemitic graffiti was discovered outside Beth Jacob Synagogue.

“We commend Hamilton police for quickly reacting to a call about hate graffiti, which then resulted in the quick arrest of the alleged perpetrator. Considering Hamilton has the highest rate of police-reported hate crimes in Canada, these recent arrests help send a message that police are taking hate crimes seriously and such crimes will not be tolerated in the city,” said FSWC President and CEO Avi Benlolo. “The incident should be thoroughly investigated and treated as a hate crime.”