Ottawa police have been called in to investigate anti-Semitic graffiti spray-painted in a West Ottawa neighbourhood.
Residents spotted a red swastika along with other graffiti spray-painted on a wooden fence near Merivale and Baseline roads.
The fence separates a residential backyard from a public pathway off of Crystal Park Crescent near Central Park Dive.
Neighbours call the graffiti upsetting and offensive.
Area councillor Riley Brockington says police will investigate, and will consider if the graffiti is a potential hate crime or if it could be gang-related.
He says this is not the first time a spray-painted swastika was recently spotted in the neighbourhood.
Brockington says a couple of weeks ago, the symbol was reported on a side wall of the Alexander Community Centre on Silver Street, about a kilometre from where the other one was reported.
He says the graffiti on the community centre wall has been removed, and once police have investigated this most recent incident, the graffiti on the fence will also be removed. That is expected to happen on Monday.
