Liberal Supporters Find Homes, Cars Vandalized, But Refuse To Hide Their Signs
Posted October 6, 2008 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Election pranks are nothing new – politicians are used to seeing their placards defaced with scrawled-on moustaches and derogatory comments. It’s not funny, but at least it’s harmless.
But the campaign took a potentially deadly turn over the weekend when residences bearing Liberal signs were targeted by vandals, and some people had the brake lines on their cars cut.
“The mechanic said this was not an accident. (He said), ‘Your brake line’s been cut with a heavy knife,'” campaign volunteer Andrew Laine revealed, adding that he was just happy his kids weren’t with him in the car at the time. “I could have been killed. Lots of other people could’ve been killed.”
Laine lives in the midtown St. Paul’s riding where Carolyn Bennett is the Liberal incumbent. He was one of about a dozen people hit in that area, either by having their cars damaged or by having anti-Grit messages spray-painted on their houses. One missive was aimed at federal Liberal candidate Bob Rae, even though his is a different riding, while another pointed a finger at provincial Premier Dalton McGuinty.
“It makes you sick. The financial agent for my campaign, his story personally of being in a car and almost hitting a bus. It’s like a bad movie in another country,” Bennett exclaimed.
In other attacks, people saw the letter L scratched into the side of their cars, and some had their phone lines cut. Federal Liberal Leader Stephane Dion and NDP chief Jack Layton have both condemned the vandalism.
And St. Paul’s wasn’t the only riding hit. Liberal Gerard Kennedy’s riding of Parkdale-High Park was also struck by vandals. Between the two ridings there have been more than 25 cases reported over the last few days.
“This is about people’s safety, and it’s far more important than any political placard that we want to have out there,” Kennedy said.
Police have increased patrols in the affected areas and they’re hoping to make an arrest quickly.
“This presents the risk of very serious injury or possibly even death and so we have to treat it accordingly,” explained Toronto Police spokesperson Mark Pugash. “We have a large number of investigators working on it.”
However if the vandals intended to scare people into removing their signs, they haven’t succeeded. In fact some of those targeted, including Terry Walker, are asking for bigger signs.
“I can’t stand by and not take a stand,” he said. “This has gone too far. This could have killed somebody, and might still.”
If you saw anything, call police at 416-808-5300, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637).
