Police are looking to identify a lone male who was caught on camera outside both Midland secondary schools and who allegedly plastered the outside of the schools with papers reading “reclaim the rainbow.”
The video of the suspect was recorded at about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday on school surveillance cameras.
The exteriors of both Georgian Bay District Secondary School and St. Theresa’s Catholic High School were affixed with the posters.
“These posters were all over the place,” said Southern Georgian Bay OPP Const. David Hobson.
OPP investigators of #SGBOPP are seeking assistance identifying a suspect caught on video as part of a Mischief and Hate Crime incident at both Midland secondary schools at approximately 3:30 a.m. June 13, 2023. Anyone with info please contact OPP at 18883101122 or @CrimeSDM ^dh pic.twitter.com/ACRJbuJ9o4
— OPP Central Region (@OPP_CR) June 14, 2023
He said the posters are being interpreted as hateful toward the LGBTQ community and the incident is being treated as a mischief and hate crime.
The schools have informed police this was not the first time such an incident has occurred.
“Apparently, this type of activity is far from being new,” Hobson said.
Police ask anyone with information about this incident to contact OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or [email protected]. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or ontariocrimestoppers.ca.