A bakery in Etobicoke has been vandalized with anti-Ukrainian graffiti amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
Future Bakery, located near Highway 427 and the Gardiner Expressway, had a mural and a #StandWithUkraine banner on display that were defaced with derogatory comments overnight.
In an interview with CP24 on Tuesday, owner of the bakery and former member of parliament Wrzesnewskyj expressed sadness over what he says amounted to a hate crime and an attempt at intimidation.
“We are saying stand with Ukraine at a time when in Europe a democratic country who has made its democratic choice to be part of a free Western Europe is facing an army of 130,000 Russian soldiers on the border, thousands of war machines, tanks, fighter planes, naval destroyers and all the intelligence shows that within days of Putin launching an attack, there will be over 50,000 dead civilians,” he said.
“It is very personal for many of us here, Ukrainian-Canadians.”
On Tuesday afternoon, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) released a statement in regards to the incident.
“The Ukrainian Canadian community is appalled by the hate crime that targeted a Ukrainian-owned business in Toronto,” they said.
“Future Bakery, which displayed a #StandWithUkraine banner to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people, was defaced under cover of night by cowards who support Russian president Putin’s kleptocratic, criminal regime.”
On Tuesday evening, Ontario Premier Doug Ford issued a statement on the incident, stating that he stands with the Ukrainian community.
“The vandalism at Future Bakery is absolutely disgraceful,” he wrote on Twitter. “I have been clear: Ontario will not tolerate hate toward any group.”
Relations between Russia and Ukraine are extremely tense following the deployment of more than 100,000 Russian troops on Ukraine's border.
Talks between the U.S., the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and Russia have been unsuccessful, leading to fears of an imminent invasion.
With files from the Canadian Press.
