Council candidate calls out vandalism after campaign signs defaced in Waverley West

Waverley West council candidate Nafiya Naso said she will not be “intimidated” after 16 of her campaign signs were vandalized this week.

Jasmine Brar, who is also running for the ward seat, had some her signs vandalized earlier this month.

Naso’s signs, located along Waverley Street near Tim Sale Drive and across from École South Pointe School in southwest Winnipeg, were spray-painted with derogatory words written across her name and photograph.

The Winnipeg Police Service confirmed Naso reported the vandalism, but provided no other details.

Naso is asking anyone who witnessed the vandalism or has video or other information to contact police.

“This is bigger than a campaign sign,” Naso told the Free Press Saturday. “This is about what kind of community we want to be. People can disagree with me. That’s democracy, but vandalism and intimidation are not.

“The fact that 16 signs were targeted in one location, and more concerningly, directly right across from an elementary school, should be a concern for all of us.”

Naso, who is Yazidi and whose family is from Iraq, said her children go to the school where some of the signs were vandalized.

She said she’s “disappointed” but added that she will not be “intimidated.”

“This will not silence me,” said Naso, who owns a cleaning business and is a former consultant to current Waverley West Coun. Janice Lukes. “It will not stop me from showing up for Waverley West.

“I have a responsibility to the people who have encouraged me to run and I’m not going to let vandalism take that away.”

Naso said the graffiti resembles a tag that has appeared elsewhere in Waverley West over the past two years, including gang signs. She said the vandalism raises concerns about possible racism.

She said the damaged signs will be replaced, but they haven’t been taken down yet, adding she’s waiting to hear back from police.

“This election should be about ideas, leadership and the future of our ward and city — not whether someone feels safe putting up a campaign sign,” she said. “We can disagree politically and still treat one another with dignity and respect.”

Five candidates have registered to run in the race to lead Waverley West, where Lukes is not seeking re-election.

Antar Banik, Uche Nwankwo and Yuanchao Li are also running for the council seat.

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca