Delta candidate Peter Mattoo says racist graffiti targeting his campaign signs

by Stephen Hui on October 23rd, 2014 at 11:42 AM

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Retired tradesperson Peter Mattoo is hoping to be the first person of colour elected to Delta municipal council. (Yes, Delta really hasn't passed that milestone yet.)

Disgustingly, it appears that someone or a group of someones wants council to retain its all-white composition after the November civic election.

Mattoo, an independent candidate who was born in India, says his campaign signs are being targeted by vandalism while other candidates' nearby signs remain untouched. He put out a news release today (October 23) claiming that he also found racist slurs on his signs in a "few instances".

"I've lived in this community for 34 years, and so this kind of display is very disturbing," Mattoo stated in the release. "I understand that signs get damaged in the course of a campaign, but these are targetted attacks that are racially motivated."

Mattoo noted that South Asian candidates in Surrey have also seen their signs targeted by racist vandalism.

But he insisted that Delta is a "tolerant community".

Comments

4 Comments

Evil Eye

Oct 23, 2014 at 3:54pm

I live in Delta and I am gob-smacked with how Delta politics is offered to the highest bidder. The oligarchs that control Delta council are afraid of Mr. Matto, therefore Mr. Matto will get my vote!

Another Hoax

Oct 23, 2014 at 6:49pm

Matto probably arranged for this graffiti himself in order to appeal to White guilt and garner the sympathy vote. Most so-called “hate crimes” of this nature tend to be hoaxes.

Imtiaz Popat

Oct 24, 2014 at 1:48am

We got a threatening hate call at the COPE Campaign office today saying that we should not have a Chinese Woman running for Mayor and the they will do what ever it takes to stop it. So its clear racism is very alive. They don't want minorities elected to public office.