After vandalism to councillor’s home, St. Catharines Mayor says officials won’t be intimidated

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Published January 31, 2022 at 2:44 pm

After the second incident of vandalism at Councillor Karrie Porter’s home inside a month, St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik said deliberate acts of intimidation won’t be tolerated in the city.

“Last night (December 29), while Councillor Karrie Porter and her family slept, a person threw a rock at their front window. This was a deliberate act of vandalism aimed to intimidate Councillor Porter. There is no room for this kind of behaviour,” said Sendzik in a statement on behalf of himself, city council and staffers.

“Councillor Porter is a courageous elected official in St. Catharines. She stands up to call out injustices, racism and bigotry,” he continued. “She stands up for her constituents and those that are often left on the outside of our community. She is a bright light for what we aspire to be as a community.”

“And for this – she becomes a target.”

Recounting the previous spray-painting vandalism of Porter’s home, his own home and St. Catharines MP Chris Bittle’s car, Sendzik said, “As Mayor, I am left disheartened to see that people in our community feel that resorting to acts of violence and vandalism are acceptable ways to express themselves.”

Political divides have become so wide in recent months, said Sendzik, that people need to rethink how they interact on a daily basis.

“Tensions have never been higher over a number of issues and concerns. Social media has become a toxic place for people to polarize and divide. We all need to step back and refocus on being better at bringing people together.”

He added that regardless of political beliefs, a neighbour is still a neighbour.

“The way to start is being more respectful to each other. To acknowledge that violence and acts of vandalism will never be tolerated. We need to remember that we are all neighbours – and we should treat each other as such.”

Sendzik’s full message is below.

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