Hamilton police probe stolen pro-Palestine sign from Ancaster lawn, hateful letter left behind
A pro-Palestine sign was stolen from the lawn of an Ancaster home and replaced with an unsigned note that read in part, go back to where you came from."
Now, Hamilton police are investigating the incident as a potential hate crime.
Mohamed Moussa put up the sign - coated in the colours of the Palestine flag with the words We Stand for Human Rights" in red - in his front yard Sunday to raise awareness about the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
I wanted to give people the opportunity to see this is something I'm passionate about, and if anyone wanted to learn more or talk about it, that I'm open to that," said Moussa, a 24-year-old software engineer.
The sign was stolen sometime late Monday night.
Its absence was first noticed by Moussa's wife, Alaa, who was on her way out the door Tuesday morning to head to work.
She came in to say someone took the sign," said Moussa. At first, I said that's unfortunate. I wasn't too worried - people steal signs."
But when Alaa came back a second time, the petty theft took on a darker tone.
The sign was replaced with a handwritten note, sealed in a Ziploc bag with a rock inside to weigh it down and shelter it from blowing winds.
Keep your politics and anti-Semitic racism out of my country and my neighbourhood," the note read. If you don't like my country, go back to where you came from!"
The latter portion left Moussa floored - he and his wife were born in Canada.
I was appalled," Moussa said in a phone interview Wednesday. I've lived in Canada my entire life. I know what this country is. I know what values we have here. To see someone doing that ... it's really sad to see."
Moussa and his wife moved to their Ancaster neighbourhood last summer.
While the COVID pandemic has made it a little difficult to mingle with neighbours, those they have met have been great people," Moussa said, including one who lent the couple some tools after their furnace broke down over the winter.
But the recent ordeal with the sign has left them unsettled.
Immediately, I stated thinking, What happens if I had been outside when this person saw this sign?'" said Moussa. I'm lucky they didn't attack my vehicle or damage my house."
In the wake of the hateful letter, Moussa filed a police report and bought a surveillance camera to install outside of his home. He also picked up a new sign and erected it in the same spot.
Moussa said the goal of the sign is not to promote division - but rather conversation. He wishes the person who stole it would have knocked on his door to talk about the conflict instead of replacing it with a harsh, unsigned note.
I think the best way to resolve conflict is to actually start talking about it," he said. The goal of that sign is to bring out awareness and let people hear about the crisis."
Hamilton police are asking anyone with information about the sign theft or hateful letter to contact Det. Fabiano Mendes at 905-546-5678.
To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or visit http://www.crimestoppershamilton.com.
Sebastian Bron is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach him via email: sbron@thespec.com