Anti-Hate Resources for Our Community

In Ward 3 and across Hamilton, we have collectively been experiencing a rise in hate-based incidents and violence. Some of that activity has occurred in our city parks, on our city buses, and in the public realm. Other incidents have been very targeted and directed towards individuals and businesses owned by racialized neighbours.

Many neighbours have been asking where to turn to learn more, how and where to report hate‑based activity, and how the city can do better when incidents occur on city property. Others want to know how to participate more directly in community care and response.

This community resource page aims to answer some of those requests and to play a small part in the deep anti-hate community building work that we all can be proud of in Hamilton.

Identifying Hate Symbols

Neighbours have requested resources on how to better decipher and identify hate-based graffiti. White supremacist and other extremist groups have shifted the subject of their vandalism requiring an ability to decode their symbols.

My office worked with Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre to pull together a list of where to turn for comprehensive listings of different hate symbols.

  1. Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, Extremist Symbols Database - This directory is a first-of-its-kind online resource compiling hate and extremist symbols from across the globe. https://globalextremism.org/global-extremist-symbols-database/

  2. Anti-Defemation League - This database provides an overview of many of the symbols most frequently used by a variety of white supremacist groups and movements, as well as some other types of hate groups. https://www.adl.org/resources/hate-symbols/search

I encourage residents to review both of the above links so you can be best informed of what you are seeing posted on lampposts, stickered onto electrical boxes, and spray painted throughout our neighbourhoods.

And then, we need you to report it so it can be both tracked and taken down!

Reporting Hate-Based Activity

Here is a list of where to report hate-motivated activity: