Graffiti at home of Vancouver mayor follows bomb threat, other alarming incidents

Someone spray-painted graffiti onto the home of Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim on Halloween – marking the latest in a string of incidents targeting the property this year.

Images of the graffiti, provided by Sim’s office, show messages scrawled across the garage doors of the home, including “Land back,” “Free Palestine,” and “Ken Sim hates poor people.”

Other messages are written in Chinese characters, including one that roughly translates to “(Expletive) your ancestors for 18 generations,” according to officials, who called the phrase “one of the most hateful insults in Chinese culture.”

In a statement, the mayor described the vandalism as hateful and racist, and revealed for the first time that his home was also targeted with a bomb threat earlier this year.

“As someone in public office, I understand that scrutiny comes with the job. But attacks on my family, on our safety and identity, cross a line that no one should ever have to face,” Sim wrote.

“This isn’t who we are, and it isn’t the Vancouver I know and love. But we are stronger than hate. My family, like so many others, will not let these actions define us. This only strengthens my commitment to making Vancouver a safer, more compassionate city.”

During the bomb threat, someone claimed to have placed an explosive under Sim’s vehicle, according to his office.

The property was also targeted by as many as 30 protesters earlier this year, who threw “red-stained objects” at the home and created an “intimidating atmosphere,” his office said.

In his statement, Sim said there have been other incidents that were “unsettling” for his family as well, without going into further detail.

The latest vandalism was fully covered up Friday.

“I can’t fully express the pain of seeing these words sprayed across the place that my family and I call home,” the mayor said. “A home is supposed to be where you feel safe. And when that’s taken away, it’s absolutely heartbreaking.”

CTV News reached out to the Vancouver Police Department for more information on the vandalism on Friday afternoon. On Saturday morning, the department confirmed in an email that it is investigating the mischief.

"Our Major Crime Section is investigating this file as we would any other mischief reported to us," said VPD spokesperson Const. Tania Visintin.