Vandals have targetted Ottawa’s gay community newspaper’s boxes over the summer in a series of incidents. In recent weeks, Capital Xtra’s proud purple boxes have been screwed shut, had paint dumped on them and had swastikas painted on the door.
While most incidents have happened along Wellington St in Westboro, the swastika was painted on a box in front of Centretown Pub, in the heart of the gaybourhood.
“We will report these problems to the hate unit of the Ottawa police,” says Capital Xtra associate publisher Gareth Kirkby. “It is a crime, and in the past police have been responsive to damage against copies of Capital Xtra.
“We understand that homophobes are not targetting our paper, they are targetting our readers and the entire queer community in Ottawa. We’re the focus because our boxes are out there, visible, and making it clear to everyone that gays and lesbians live, work and play throughout Ottawa.”
In recent months, Capital Xtra has more than doubled the number of newspaper boxes on Ottawa streets to 94.
If you have any leads on who is vandalizing the boxes, please contact Kirkby at 237-7133 xt 28. Or call Ottawa police at 911 if you see a vandalism in progress.
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