Sudbury, Ont., police receive a dozen calls about man wearing swastika

Troubling hate crime statistics in Canada Hate crimes expert Barbara Perry talks about Canada's history of extreme hate resulting in instances of mass violence.

With the number of hate crimes on the rise, a man has been seen walking around Greater Sudbury, Ont., wearing a swastika, but is it illegal?

Since Jan. 1, Sudbury police have received 12 calls about a man in the community wearing the antisemitic symbol, but the act itself is not against the law.

"These are documented as a hate/bias-motivated incident, which is a non-criminal incident that involves the same characteristics as hate/bias crimes but does not meet the criteria to be classified as criminal under the Criminal Code of Canada," Sudbury police spokesperson Kaitlyn Dunn told CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca in an email.

"This includes but is not limited to racial comments or slurs, intimidation or discrimination and distribution of prejudicial material."

Most recently, a man wearing a swastika armband was seen walking on Burton Avenue in the Donovan area of the city Wednesday morning.

"Hate or bias-motivated crimes and incidents have an impact extending far beyond the physical and emotional trauma to the individual(s) involved. Communities can also be affected," Dunn said.

"These crimes often heighten the isolation and vulnerability of diverse communities and can cause severe stress for all members of the community."

Criminal acts that are classified as hate crimes under the code include advocating genocide, public incitement and willful promotion of hatred and mischief motivated by hate in relation to religious property.

"A hate/bias-motivated crime is a criminal offence against a person or property which is perceived to be motivated and/or is motivated, in whole or in part, by hate, bias, or prejudice based on the actual or perceived ancestry, race, national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, creed, sex, age, mental or physical disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other similar factor," Dunn said.

"This includes but is not limited to violence, threats of violence, acts of mischief or vandalism, threatening phone calls and destruction of religious property or symbols."

The American Jewish Committee (AJC) describes the Nazi swastika as an inverted version of the symbol that is revered in many Eastern religions and cultures.

"Neo-Nazis and white supremacists continue to use it today as a symbol of the 'pure race.' In addition, religious extremists, including Hamas and other terrorist groups, utilize the Nazi swastika to terrorize Jews and Israelis," the AJC said on its website.

"Anti-Israel protestors have also wielded the Nazi swastika to weaponize the Holocaust against the Jewish community."

March 21 marks the 58th annual International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and an event with multicultural food, activities and dancing is being held at the Caruso Club Thursday evening.

It is being hosted by the Sudbury Multicultural and Folk Arts Association and the police diversity advisory committee.

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has been observed every year since it was declared by the United Nations in 1966 to mark the day the police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid "pass laws" in 1960.