I apologize in advance for the inflammatory headline. Last night I posted a diary entitled "Vandals cut vehicle brake lines of Liberal Party of Canada supporters". In it, I discussed a spate of incidents in the city of Toronto over the weekend in which 24 houses were vandalized and 14 cars had their brake lines cut for having Liberal Party of Canada signs on their lawns. Today, we learn they have struck again.
The Toronto Star is reporting that another 12 homes were "vandalized" sometime during the night in the riding of Parkdale-High Park, Liberal candidate Gerard Kennedy's riding. I call it vandalism because media reports have by and large avoided calling this what it is: attempted murder. Many of those who were targeted have families, including young children, and did not learn their brake lines were cut until they got on the road. As one victim said:
"I'm in complete shock. This is something you don't expect to have happen in Canada. We have a democratic system. This could have killed me, my girlfriend and everyone else on the road."
Some people have opted to take down their lawn signs, but most have not. Most are more determined now to keep their lawn signs leading up to the October 14th debate; even more Liberal supporters have requested signs too:
For supporters like McNevin and Krupowicz, the acts of vandalism weren't enough for them to even consider taking the signs down. Says McNevin: "My daughter said: `I think we should get a bigger sign.'"
In St. Paul's riding, the story was much the same. Most supporters weren't bending to any form of intimidation and wanted to keep their signs or even exchange them for bigger signs. Some, however, including the elderly or single women, were fearful and took down their signs temporarily.
No one has been apprehended for these crimes so far, and it would be dangerous right now to assume that the culprits are supporters of one of the other federal parties. But I think it's pretty darn fair to lay some blame for this at the feet of Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper. His Prime Minister-ship (or whatever) has been characterized by hyperpartisan, inflammatory, reckless invective against the Liberal Party of Canada. This is a man who ran childish, insulting, election-style attack ads about Liberal Leader Stephane Dion in the absence of an election. This is a man who refuses to accept the minority status of his government; who employs every obstructionist tactic in the book to block official opposition priorities in the House of Commons (and then ludicrously claims the Liberals, NDP and Bloc are responsible); who fills the everyday language of his government with heated, angry, anti-Liberal propaganda consisting of baseless accusations, lies and distorted truths; who plays upon Canadians' fear, their ignorance, their feelings of mistrust and their resentment, their feelings of separation; who drives people apart, not together. This is the Canada Stephen Harper has created. And he is nothing more than your average racist, homophobic, anti-women, anti-abortion conservative.
One last anecdote from a Liberal supporter who was targeted:
Andrew Lane, who works on the campaign for Liberal incumbent Carolyn Bennett, said he had no idea his car was sabotaged until it was too late.
He went through a stop sign, narrowly avoiding being hit by a TTC bus before he brought his car to a halt. The father of two says whoever sabotaged his car willingly put his life and the lives of his children in danger.
If anyone out there wants to do something, perhaps you might consider leaving a comment on either the Toronto Star or CBC linked above, or this Globe and Mail one. Otherwise I'm not really sure what one CAN do, except demand answers. There may also be a few clips on YouTube of the news coverage. Unfortunately I at work and unable to check myself.
Edit: The Liberals have issued a press release calling on all party leaders to condemn the violence.
Edit #2:The Star is reporting six additional cases have been reported today from over the weekend, bringing the totals to about 30 separate households/vehicles affected (exact totals unknown), 15 each in the ridings of St. Paul's and Parkdale-High Park. Additionally, it appears Toronto Police have a theory:
Officials believe the incidents are connected and are the work of one person.
Edit #3: Two Liberal candidates and a Conservative candidate in Nova Scotia also had their campaigns targeted by vandals this weekend, including the inestimable Scott Brison:
In the Annapolis Valley, the word "fag" was spray painted on several signs belonging to Liberal MP Scott Brison, an openly gay politician from the area.
Edit #4: Various media outlets are not reporting that a number of residents in these ridings who have Liberal signs on their lawns have received threatening phone calls telling them to take down their signs or they "will be next". It's also being reported that the police have taken fingerprints and palm prints from a number of the houses and vehicles hit, so perhaps they are a bit closer to catching this guy.
Edit #5: And we've got copycats in Niagara, where three more Liberal supporters are reporting their brakes were cut.