An anti-immigration banner on display outside Montreal’s Olympic Stadium has been removed by park officials.
According to Olympic Park spokesperson Cédric Essiminy, the banner was given to Montreal police, and a report has been filed.
READ MORE: Border services overwhelmed as Haitians continue to seek asylum in Quebec
“We don’t allow any kind of banner that is not approved by the park,” Essiminy said.
“As soon as we saw it, we took it down.”
READ MORE: Quebec premier concerned about anti-immigration banners
Essiminy said security guards noticed the #REMIGRATION banner, which had been on display for a couple of hours.
On Facebook, a self-described nationalist group posted photos of the banner with a message accusing the media of swaying public opinion.
Essiminy says the banner was removed around 7:30 a.m. Monday.
READ MORE: Is violence ‘necessary’ to protest racism?
A similar banner was seen in Quebec City last week.
Montreal police spokesperson Manuel Couture told Global News his office will be contacting Quebec City authorities.
READ MORE: Asylum seekers entering Quebec on the rise, says immigration department
“The investigation has been transferred to our hate crimes unit,” Couture said.
“We will have to look if there was a criminal intention behind this act or not.”
READ MORE: Couillard warns would-be asylum seekers: ‘There is no guarantee’
A temporary shelter was set up in early August at the Olympic Stadium to house hundreds of asylum seekers coming in from the Canada-U.S. border.
Comments