Mayor Naheed Nenshi has pronounced April 24th to be Hate Crime Awareness Day in Calgary. Coinciding with National Hate Crime Awareness Week, running from April 22nd to 28th, the event hopes to shine a light on the reality of hate crime, and how it affects our community.
Hate crime is a “message crime” designed to strike fear and/or terror into the heart of a community. These types of crimes marginalize human rights, erode multiculturalism, subjugate equality and are oppressive to society as a whole.
While Alberta is thought to be a friendly and multicultural place, hate crimes can occur and sometimes go unreported. It’s important for everyone to understand that hate crimes are serious offences, and that standing up against them is important in fostering and improving on Canada’s image as a welcoming nation of diversity. As a citizen, you may not think that you have the power to stand up against crime, but with an action as simple as calling 3-1-1 to report hateful graffiti, you send a subtle message that hate will not be accepted in your community.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of a hate crime, or you see any crime taking place, call the police, or in the event of an emergency 9-1-1. You can find more information at http://www.albertahatecrimes.ca
For more information on the events happening in Calgary, check out the information on the City of Calgary website
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