Swastikas painted on Ottawa Liberal candidate's election signs

Liberal incumbent for Orleans, Marie-France Lalonde, shared images showing some of her campaign signs were vandalized with swastikas over the Labour Day long weekend. (Image via Marie-France Lalonde / Twitter)

OTTAWA -

Ottawa Liberal candidate Marie-France Lalonde says some of her election lawn signs were vandalized with swastikas over the long weekend.

In a statement Sunday, the incumbent MP for Orléans condemned the vandalism.

"The swastika is a disturbing, violent, and anti-Semitic symbol," Lalonde said. "This kind of hateful vandalism is not acceptable, it's not part of democracy, and it's not the Orléans I know."

Lalonde also said she filed a police report.

Other candidates have reported election sign damage in the region, including Liberals Jenna Sudds in Kanata-Carleton, Gustave Roy in Carleton, and Greg Fergus in Hull-Aylmer, as well as Conservative candidate Carol Clemenhagen in Ottawa Centre.

Ottawa police issued a statement late last month to remind residents that damaging election signs is an offence under the Criminal Code of Canada and the Elections Act and perpetrators could face charges, including mischief to property. Police are encouraging residents to report damage to campaign signs, especially if it is hateful.

Lalonde thanked residents who brought the damage to her attention and said she would continue to speak out against all forms of bigotry.

"This issue involves all of us. We all have a responsibility to speak out against this kind of behaviour and to decide what kind of society we want to live in," she said.