Police investigating after TTC subway train valdalized with 'vile anti-Black racist graffiti'
Chris Fox
Web Content Writer, CP24
Published Saturday, June 27, 2020 9:59AM EDT
Last Updated Saturday, June 27, 2020 2:05PM EDT
TORONTO -- Police are investigating after a subway train on Line 2 was vandalized with racist graffiti in what the TTC says was a “clear hate crime.”
Dionne Callaghan tells CP24 that she was on her way home from work at a hospital when a she spotted a woman pointing at her and “ranting” from across the train.
She said that the woman’s child was scribbling on the wall of the train with a marker at the time and at some point the woman took the marker and used it to write a racist message.
“I was just on my way home from work and I sat down on the train and a woman just started pointing at me. I had my earbuds in and I couldn’t hear what she was saying but I could see that she was saying the N word so I just sort of looked away from her,” she told CP24. “I then looked up again and noticed that her child was scribbling on the wall and as I looked up she grabbed the marker from her son and sribbled a message. She pointed at me, she scribbled a message and then she gave her child the marker back.”
Callaghan said that she was “in a state of disbelief” after the exchange because she has never actually experienced “an overt act of racism” against herself.
She says the woman eventually got up to leave but before doing so pointed at her again and pointed at the racist message.
By the time Callaghan got off the train and reported the incident to the TTC, she said that someone had already brought the vandalism to their attention. Nonetheless, she said that she was disappointed that nobody on the train stood up for her as the incident was unfolding.
“I believe that silence is violence and If I had seen this act being directed at somebody else I would have stepped in,” she said. “I think as a people we need to stand up and take notice and make people aware that this is not OK behavour.”
In a message posted to Twitter on Friday, TTC spokesperson Stuart Green said that the train was immediately pulled from service after the “vile anti-Black racist graffiti” was first reported.
He said that while there were no surveillance cameras on the train, witnesses have been able to provide a description of the suspect.
“No cams on this car but we have witnesses and suspect descriptions that will be fully investigated because #BlackLivesMattter,” he said.
Police tell CP24 that they will be following up with Callaghan today and filing a formal report.
No suspect description has been released at this point.
Chris Fox
Web Content Writer, CP24
Published Saturday, June 27, 2020 9:59AM EDT
Last Updated Saturday, June 27, 2020 2:05PM EDT
TORONTO -- Police are investigating after a subway train on Line 2 was vandalized with racist graffiti in what the TTC says was a “clear hate crime.”
Dionne Callaghan tells CP24 that she was on her way home from work at a hospital when a she spotted a woman pointing at her and “ranting” from across the train.
She said that the woman’s child was scribbling on the wall of the train with a marker at the time and at some point the woman took the marker and used it to write a racist message.
“I was just on my way home from work and I sat down on the train and a woman just started pointing at me. I had my earbuds in and I couldn’t hear what she was saying but I could see that she was saying the N word so I just sort of looked away from her,” she told CP24. “I then looked up again and noticed that her child was scribbling on the wall and as I looked up she grabbed the marker from her son and sribbled a message. She pointed at me, she scribbled a message and then she gave her child the marker back.”
Callaghan said that she was “in a state of disbelief” after the exchange because she has never actually experienced “an overt act of racism” against herself.
She says the woman eventually got up to leave but before doing so pointed at her again and pointed at the racist message.
By the time Callaghan got off the train and reported the incident to the TTC, she said that someone had already brought the vandalism to their attention. Nonetheless, she said that she was disappointed that nobody on the train stood up for her as the incident was unfolding.
“I believe that silence is violence and If I had seen this act being directed at somebody else I would have stepped in,” she said. “I think as a people we need to stand up and take notice and make people aware that this is not OK behavour.”
In a message posted to Twitter on Friday, TTC spokesperson Stuart Green said that the train was immediately pulled from service after the “vile anti-Black racist graffiti” was first reported.
He said that while there were no surveillance cameras on the train, witnesses have been able to provide a description of the suspect.
“No cams on this car but we have witnesses and suspect descriptions that will be fully investigated because #BlackLivesMattter,” he said.
Police tell CP24 that they will be following up with Callaghan today and filing a formal report.
No suspect description has been released at this point.
Anti-Black racist graffiti found on subway train a 'clear hate crime,' TTC says
Police are investigating after a subway train on Line 2 was vandalized with racist graffiti in what the TTC says was a “clear hate crime.”
toronto.ctvnews.ca
