Police investigating online harassment against Russian Calgarians

Calgary police say they have received multiple reports of online harassment against Russian Calgarians over the past two days.

Police say citizens reported what is believed to be hate speech and harassment targeting Russian-Calgarians on an unidentified social media platform.

“Our patrol officers and Hate Crimes and Extremism Team are currently investigating these incidents and monitoring them closely,” police said in a news release.

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“Hate-motivated crimes have no place in our community, and we will not tolerate criminal behaviour associated with hate speech and harassment,” said Sergeant Matt Messenger of the Hate Crimes and Extremism Team. “We encourage anyone who believes they have been the victim of a hate crime, or who may have witnessed one, to please come forward and report it to police.”

The reports come after red paint was splashed on the doors of a Russian Orthodox Church in Calgary over the weekend. Police are currently looking for the suspect in that case.

Hate-motivated crimes are recognizable when the offender is motivated by bias, prejudice or hate, that is based on one of nine personal characteristics of the victim; this includes race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, language, mental or physical disability, sex, age, or any other similar factor.