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Richmond mom saddened by racist graffiti in local park

Richmond Mounties are now asking for help in tracking down the culprits after the incident in King George Park on the weekend
Alan Campbell
Alan Campbell

A Richmond mom-of-two says she feels “very uncomfortable” in her own community, after her family witnessed racist graffiti painted all over a local park.

Siobhan Deol was shocked and saddened Sunday to see swastikas and the “N” word sprayed over surfaces in King George Park, including on countertops under the rotunda and on a box next to the soccer fields.

Deol – whose has a South Asian husband and two teenage children of mixed race – said she “felt terrible” after noticing the graffiti during a large extended family picnic at the park near Cambie and No. 5 roads.

Caretaker, city worker clean up racist graffiti

She immediately got the attention of the park caretaker who, in turn, contacted a City of Richmond worker who came out promptly to clean up the offending symbols and words.

Deol, however, wonders “how many other people saw it before (the cleaning) was done.

“(It) definitely makes me very uncomfortable knowing people in the community would feel that way and that they need to express their hate in such a way,” she added.

Deol said the worker told her he had spent the previous weekend cleaning off swastika graffiti around Steveston.

City spokesperson Kim Decker told the Richmond News that city staff were today "swapping out some bench boards that cannot be cleaned up on-site"

She also confirmed that similar graffiti at Steveston Park was cleaned up last week.

Richmond RCMP confirmed with the News that it has received a “report of a mischief at King George Park.”

Police appeal for public's help

RCMP spokesperson Adriana O’Malley said that, between 10 p.m. on Saturday and 6 a.m. on Sunday, “unknown suspect(s) spray painted racist, derogatory words and swastikas around the park. City workers attended and cleaned up the graffiti.

“Richmond RCMP attended and determined there was no video surveillance of this incident.

“We ask that anyone who may have witnessed or have information regarding this mischief to contact us.”

O’Malley added that the RCMP will be conducting patrols in the area but are asking the public to report anything suspicious report it to police.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Richmond RCMP and quote file number 2022-21865.