Candidate suffers more racial vandalism

One of Kirn Dhillon's election signs has been vandalized again.

By Nadine Sander-Green on December 1, 2011

One of Kirn Dhillon's election signs has been vandalized again.

The candidate in today's municipal byelection passed his eight-by-four-foot sign on Mountainview Drive this morning to find out someone had, again, spray-painted over his face with prejudiced remarks.

"These guys are attention hounds, that's all they are,” Dhillon told the Star this morning. "I thought I would just ignore it and it would go away, but obviously not.”

Dhillon's sign was vandalized Monday night with the spray-painted word "Lhadan.” A turban and moustache were drawn on his face.

The 35-year-old first-time council hopeful replaced the sign the next day.

This time, the culprit or culprits spelled Osama bin Laden's name correctly. They also wrote the words "terrorist,” "corrupt” and "scum” on the sign.

"What am I supposed to do?” Dhillon asked. "Cry in a corner? I was born and raised in Whitehorse.

Where do these guys want me to go? This is my country.”

Dhillon said he "kind of feels helpless” now, but will "soldier on.”

He told the police after the first time his sign was vandalized. He asked them to keep an eye on the sign. He has not reported the second incident.

RCMP Sgt. Don Rogers told the Star today it's against the law to deface election signs.

He called it a "repugnant” thing to do.

If the second incident is reported, he added, the RCMP will investigate it.

Dhillon said all he can do at this point is grin and bear it. He will take down all his signs as soon as the by-election is over.

See more on the byelection below.

Comments (7)

Up 2 Down 1

Billy Polson on Dec 2, 2011 at 1:01 pm

It's a sad thing. Mr Dhillon, you have the courage to put yourself on the line to better our home City and this is not the type of thing that shows respect for that type of commitment. You're a bigger person than they may ever be. The election is over but you have my vote.

Up 1 Down 0

Jessie on Dec 2, 2011 at 6:45 am

I'm sorry this is happening to you Kirn, people really need to realize that were a MULTICULTURAL community, and that everyone is welcome freely to this community. Some people are really really rude, and I find this is really immature to Vandalize your sign like this. Nobody deserves anything like this to happen!! On behalf of the City i grew up in, I'm very sorry. I've never seen such immaturity.

Yukoner on Dec 2, 2011 at 3:57 am

I think the culprits need to realize that their racial slogans are ignorant. In all honesty it really shows that there are people in this town whose intelligence level is sub par at best.

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Doug Rutherford on Dec 2, 2011 at 12:31 am

I have trouble understanding both the racism involved in what was written on the sign and the actual idea of just vandalizing it. It makes one wonder about some of the idiots wandering around these days.

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Sympathy vote on Dec 1, 2011 at 1:42 pm

I might have to vote for this guy just to spite the idiots vandalizing his signs.

Raymond Young on Dec 1, 2011 at 9:48 am

Where is the RCMP in this? Now I know why Whitehorse has so much graffiti in town. If the RCMP can't stop this on a high traffic thoroughfare in Whitehorse, what hope does a downtown business owner have? In the old days, there was a curfew for kids. Now you see them about in the wee hours of the night. The racist aspect of this is one thing, but the graffiti problem in Whitehorse has been an open sore on this town that has gone unaddressed for far too long!.

anonymous on Dec 1, 2011 at 9:34 am

How is two newspaper articles about the signs "ignoring it". Just saying.

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