Hamilton police investigating after Andrea Horwath sign vandalized with 'misogynistic' and 'violent' imagery

Warning: This story contains details of offensive language and imagery.

Hamilton police are investigating another election-related incident, after a campaign sign of mayoral candidate Andrea Horwath was found vandalized with misogynistic slurs and imagery.

Horwath's team was notified Sunday of the defaced sign, which was displayed on a rural property north of Binbrook. The team then notified police.

Horwath said Tuesday in a tweet that the vandalism included 'misogynistic and violent imagery' that was "so disturbing that I'm not able to share the images on social media." 

CBC Hamilton has viewed an image of the sign, but has decided not to publish it due to the graphic nature of the vandalism.

The "mega sign," measuring 1.2 by 2.4 metres, was covered with hateful messages and illustrations using spray paint and pen, including multiple misogynistic slurs, swastikas and crude drawings.

Horwath's slogan, "Vote Andrea Horwath, mayor for a thriving Hamilton," was defaced with red spray paint to read, "F--k Andrea Horwarth, s--t for a thriving Ham." 

Police said they are investigating the incident as a "mischief complaint" after the hate-crime unit received the report. 

"We have had some other minor incidents of vandalism, but nothing to this degree," Madeline Wilson, Horwath's deputy campaign manager, told CBC Hamilton.

The defacing of Horwath's sign, just over a week before Monday's Ontario municipal election, is the third report of campaign vandalism in recent weeks. 

"BIPOC and 2SLGBTQIA+ candidates experience this type of hate in far greater instances, yet continue to put their hat in the ring to represent our community," Horwath said on Twitter on Tuesday.

"It is unacceptable that this kind of hate persists... Community leaders in Hamilton must call out hate when they see it. Hamilton can be better than this."

'A reminder of the things wrong with Hamilton' 

Ward 14 candidate Kojo Damptey's bus shelter sign was vandalized earlier this month, with a "White people first" sticker on Oct. 11. 

"This is a reminder of the things that are wrong with Hamilton and Canada," Damptey, who is Black, said in a video posted to social media.

The sticker on Damptey's ad was part of a larger white supremacist propaganda campaign.

An Ontario group chat on Telegram includes a post from Oct. 9 with five pictures that says, "white lives matter activists have been placing pro-white material throughout Hamilton."

"We condemn racism in any/all forms and are committed to nurturing a city that is welcoming and inclusive, and where the community feels safe," the City of Hamilton said on social media following the report of anti-Black racism.

A post from the Ontario Telegram group Sept. 26 also shows posters that say "white unity at every opportunity," seemingly posted in Brantford, Ont. It's unclear if any of the material is still up.

Ward 3 candidate Walter Furlan also found one of his campaign signs, on Barton Street East, was vandalized on Oct. 13.

"We found a swastika on my forehead and a moustache to apparently make me look like Hitler," said Furlan.

"I wasn't happy about it ... I have two children in the armed forces and I know a lot of people with fathers and grandfathers that fought in the world war against this sort of thing and a lot of them died," he said.

Hamilton police spokesperson Jackie Penman said the vandalism is "a mischief complaint and has been forwarded to the hate-crime unit for further investigation."

Multiple candidates from different wards have also reported their signs being stolen.

Hamilton saw a record number of hate crimes in 2021. The Hamilton Police Service recorded 21 hate crimes last year — more than 2019, 2018 and 2017 combined. Almost all reported local hate crimes and incidents last year in Hamilton targeted Black, Jewish, Muslim and LGBTQ communities.

Read all of CBC Hamilton's election coverage here.