A number of residents in southwest Edmonton woke up Thursday to find racist graffiti spray-painted on their vehicles.
Edmonton police said the vandalism happened sometime between 12:30 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. Thursday in the Chappelle neighbourhood.
Karla Vasquez-Oteiza said she was outside at around 1:30 a.m. Thursday and noticed several vehicles had been targeted, with swastikas spray-painted on them with yellow paint.
Spray paint was also used to write swear words and racial slurs on some vehicles. At least 10 vehicles were vandalized, according to police, including one that also had a window smashed.
“Angry and upset. Just with everything going on in the world right now, and the whole Black Lives Matter protest, it just feels very targeted in this sort of social situation that we’re in right now,” Vasquez-Oteiza said.
“I’m really upset… it’s disgusting.”
“It’s severely upsetting to know that people are going around just throwing these symbols wherever they please,” area resident Josie Hamilton added. “Very, very, very upsetting.”
Vasquez-Oteiza said she spoke to police about the incident and hopes they find whoever is responsible for the crime.
The EPS said its Hate Crimes and Violent Extremism Unit is aware of the incident, but the investigation remains with Southwest Division investigators at this time.
Police ask anyone with surveillance video of the incidents to contact the EPS at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile device.
Earlier this week, police said they were investigating a vehicle vandalism spree in the Forest Heights neighbourhood that happened over the previous weekend.
About 18 vehicles parked on 78 and 79 streets between 105 and 106 avenues were targeted by vandals, and several vehicles owned by residents at a nearby apartment building were also damaged.
Police said the vehicles had their tires slashed and at least one vehicle was keyed. Officers believe the vandalism happened between 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 4 and 1 a.m. on Sunday, July 5.
It’s not known if the two incidents are related.
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