Damage to new rainbow crosswalk in Aurora being treated as hate-motivated incident: police

York Regional Police investigators are asking for witnesses to come forward after they alleged a new rainbow crosswalk in Aurora was damaged.

According to a statement issued on Friday, officers said they were contacted by the Town of Aurora staff on Friday — just a day after the crosswalk at Yonge Street and Wellington Road was unveiled.

“Officers learned that just before midnight on Thursday … a pick-up truck drove over the crosswalk and left black tire skid marks over the rainbow area then returned a short time later and left some more,” the statement said.

“Investigators believe that the marks were done intentionally and this is being investigated as a hate-motivated incident.”

The Town approved the installation in July after Mayor Tom Mrakas introduced a motion at council and in a statement on Friday, he said the new crosswalk was meant to show support for the LGBTQ2 community.

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“The intent of this initiative is to provide a permanent symbol of the Town of Aurora’s commitment to diversity and inclusiveness,” Mrakas wrote.

Meanwhile, anyone with information was asked to call police at 1-866-876-5423 ext. 7141 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.