The Ottawa police hate crimes unit is investigating after neighbours of Mayor Jim Watson found a homophobic slur painted on the road in front of his house over the weekend.
The mayor’s office confirmed in a statement that Watson’s neighbour discovered the offensive graffiti Sunday morning and called the Ottawa Police Service.
Officers arriving that afternoon took pictures of the slur and filed a report before calling in the city’s works department to power wash it off the street.
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“The mayor is disappointed that someone would spend any time and effort to attack someone’s sexual orientation and deface public property,” the statement from his office read, adding Watson is thankful for his neighbour’s vigilance and the prompt response from police and city clean-up crews.
OPS Chief Peter Sloly confirmed in a statement on Twitter that the incident is being investigated as a hate crime.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to Twitter on Monday to say he was “appalled” by the message and said that Canadians are standing with the mayor.
Watson came out as an openly gay man in the summer of 2019.
The incident comes one day after he passed the record to become Ottawa’s longest-serving mayor.