On August 4th, 2023, a Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) officer assigned to 2 District (Niagara Falls / Niagara-on-the-Lake was on general patrol in the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake when the rainbow crosswalk located at the intersection of Anderson Lane and Niagara Stone Road was observed to have been damaged.
Investigation has determined that an unknown suspect attended the crosswalk and used black spray paint to write profane and offensive words directed toward the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has been notified and steps are underway to remove the damage.
This mischief investigation has been assigned to the 2 District Criminal Investigative Branch. Detectives are appealing to nearby businesses and area residents to review their surveillance footage and report any suspicious behavior.
This is being investigated as a potential hate based crime. The legal criteria for a charge under the Hate Propaganda sections of the Criminal Code are very specific in scope and done in consultation with the Ministry of the Attorney General. Once the investigation has concluded, investigators can then begin to prepare a report with the consent of the Niagara Crown’s Office for submission to the Attorney General of Ontario.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the lead detective by dialing 905-688-4111, option 3, extension 1007730.
Members of the public who wish to provide information anonymously are encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers of Niagara online or by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to persons who contact the program with information that leads to an arrest.
Incident #23-85914