{"id":52296,"date":"2017-04-18T20:21:14","date_gmt":"2017-04-19T00:21:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/police-investigating-hate-letter-threatening-toronto-pride-parade\/"},"modified":"2017-04-18T20:21:14","modified_gmt":"2017-04-19T00:21:14","slug":"police-investigating-hate-letter-threatening-toronto-pride-parade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/police-investigating-hate-letter-threatening-toronto-pride-parade\/","title":{"rendered":"Police Investigating Hate Letter Threatening Toronto Pride Parade"},"content":{"rendered":"

Police Investigating Hate Letter Threatening Toronto Pride Parade<\/b><\/p>\n

\"Kristyn<\/p>\n

A hate letter filled with homophobic language and including threatening references to Toronto\u2019s Pride parade<\/a> was sent to the office of the only LGBT-identified city councilor, Kristyn Wong-Tam, this past Wednesday.<\/p>\n

A line from the letter reads: \u201cNow with the police not at your f_g parade, it makes it easy to hurt you all in a big way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s really important for us to recognize that when language that is used is hateful and discriminatory, it actually creates a climate of fear and violence,\u201d Wong-Tam said. \u201cIt can lead to violence, and I don\u2019t want people to feel unsafe.\u201d<\/p>\n

After contacting security at City Hall, Wong-Tam and her team were told to report the incident to Toronto Police, who is now investigating.<\/p>\n

The return address listed on the envelope is that of CityNews, a publication that is itself under investigation for its neo-Nazi views and imagery. Its editor-in-chief has denied any association with the letter, and police are considering the possibility that the address\u00a0was used as a misdirection.<\/p>\n

Wong-Tam noted the\u00a0irony that she received the hateful missive on the Day of Pink, an international\u00a0observance\u00a0against bullying, discrimination, homophobia and transphobia.<\/p>\n

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Today I received new homophobic hate mail on #DayofPink<\/a>. #irony<\/a> #stopbullyingnow<\/a> #lovetrumpshate<\/a> #Toronto<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Ysjs3PAncy<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Kristyn Wong-Tam (@kristynwongtam) April 12, 2017<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

She also thanked supporters for their expressions of solidarity in reaction to the letter in a follow-up tweet: \u201cThank you everyone for the positive messages. You represent the best of Toronto.\u201d<\/p>\n

The post Police Investigating Hate Letter Threatening Toronto Pride Parade<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a>\n<\/div>\n

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Police Investigating Hate Letter Threatening Toronto Pride Parade<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n