Statement from Mayor Adrian Foster on park graffiti

Clarington, Ontario – As Durham Regional Police Service work to find those responsible for damaging a local park with racist graffiti, Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster has issued the following statement.

“I am deeply disturbed by this intolerant and malicious act, which involved defacing public property with anti-Black racist graffiti.

On behalf of Clarington Council, I want to state clearly that this hateful act does not represent our community's beliefs and principles. Our community values inclusivity, equity and diversity. This is what makes Clarington a welcoming place for all our residents.

We dispatched an on-call crew to remove the graffiti as soon as we were notified. I want to thank the staff for working so quickly.

We stand together to condemn any form of discrimination and hate. Racism and ignorance like this are not acceptable in Clarington. We are committed to working with our residents towards a better future for us all.

I want to thank the Durham Regional Police Service for taking this vandalism exceptionally seriously. I hope anyone with information on this incident will contact DRPS at 905-579-1520 ext. 1641 or leave an anonymous tip with Durham Region Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or durhamregionalcrimestoppers.ca.”