Skip to main content

Paint damage to Ottawa's rainbow crosswalk was accidental, police say

Ottawa police are investigating after paint was apparently splashed and spread across a rainbow Pride crosswalk at Bank and Somerset. (Photo Credit: Matt Elliott) Ottawa police are investigating after paint was apparently splashed and spread across a rainbow Pride crosswalk at Bank and Somerset. (Photo Credit: Matt Elliott)
Share
OTTAWA -

Ottawa police say paint damage to the rainbow crosswalk in Ottawa's Centretown neighbourhood last month was accidental.

Photos showed a significant amount of white paint was splashed onto the ground near the crosswalk at the corner of Bank and Somerset streets and spread across it on Aug. 27,

The Ottawa Police Service Hate and Bias Crime Unit investigated the incident after it was reported to police three weeks ago.

In a statement to CTV News Ottawa on Thursday, police say the investigation determined the paint damage to the rainbow crosswalk was accidental.

"Surveillance video showed that paint began to spill out of the bed of a pick-up truck before the vehicle went through the crosswalk. Further damage occurred when other vehicles drove through the paint and into the crosswalk," said police.

"Police is advising Ottawa residents and the 2SLGBTQ+ community that the incident, although regrettable, was not criminal nor an act of hatred or intolerance."

The paint damage occurred during Pride Week in Ottawa.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA

Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.

WATCH LIVE

WATCH LIVE As GC Strategies partner is admonished by MPs, RCMP confirms search warrant executed

The RCMP confirmed Wednesday it had executed a search warrant at an address registered to GC Strategies. This development comes as MPs are enacting an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power, summoning one of its contractors to appear before the House of Commons to be admonished publicly for failing to answer questions related to the ArriveCan app.

Earthquake jolts southern Japan

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.

Stay Connected