Waterloo Regional Police are investigating after someone scrawled hate-motivated graffiti inside a vehicle parked at a Kitchener place of worship over the weekend. The property damage happened between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. on May 24 at a church near Ira Needles Boulevard.
An unknown suspect got onto the property and applied hateful messages to the backs of seats inside a vehicle, according to the Waterloo Regional Police Service. Officers from the Neighbourhood Policing Central Division, Forensic Identification Unit, and Investigative Services Division are working on the case, listed under occurrence number WA26075166.
The incident comes as Waterloo Region continues to grapple with hate-motivated crime. The area had the highest rate of police-reported hate crimes in the country in 2023, at 34 per 100,000 people. About 58 per cent of those crimes are non-violent, including mischief and offensive graffiti like what was found at the church.
There has been some recent progress. Hate-motivated incidents dropped to 93 in the first half of 2025, down from 159 during the same period in 2024. In October 2025, the region launched the “We All Belong Here” campaign with the message: “Hate is not ok. Name it. Report it.”
Police are asking anyone with information about the May 24 incident to call them at 519-570-9777. Anonymous tips can be left with Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.waterloocrimestoppers.com.
