Dashcam footage from an rdnewsNOW reader shows the group with their "White Lives Matter' signs displayed just after 3 p.m. by the downtown Red Deer Tim Horton's. (Supplied)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

police investigating

Red Deer agencies disturbed after xenophobic and racist signs and symbols displayed on their doorsteps

Mar 3, 2025 | 4:57 PM

Warning: This story contains details which may be triggering to some readers.

Red Deer RCMP are exploring the circumstances around a group of people who displayed hateful signs and symbols over the weekend in downtown Red Deer.

The signs read ‘Deport them all,’ and ‘White lives matter,’ while a flag bears a type of Celtic cross symbol that is strongly associated with racist ideologies.

They could be seen Saturday in at least three spots — including outside the offices of Care for Newcomers and the Central Alberta Immigrant Women’s Association (CAIWA), both of which are organizations centred around newcomers. This could be seen in two unsourced photos obtained by rdnewsNOW.

They were also seen near the downtown Tim Hortons, with one rdnewsNOW reader’s dashcam footage, pictured above, showing a time of 3:10 p.m.

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A counter-protest has been planned for March 9 at 1 p.m., starting at City Hall Park. Attendees are encourage to bring signs with positive messages.

MAYOR & COUNCIL DENOUNCE ACTS

On Monday, Mayor Ken Johnston, on behalf of city council, issued the following statement:

“Today, I want to address something that happened in our community this weekend. But first, I want to reiterate that Red Deer is a community built on the values of inclusivity, diversity, and respect for all. We take immense pride in fostering a welcoming environment where every individual feels safe and valued. That is why council and I are deeply troubled and outraged by the disturbing display of hate symbols and racist messages in our city this past weekend.

“Let me be clear: there is absolutely no place for racism, white supremacy, or hate of any kind in Red Deer. The actions witnessed over the weekend do not reflect the values of our community, and they will not be tolerated.

“We are working closely with the RCMP to address this incident and rest assured that an investigation is open on this matter. The safety and well-being of our residents and community organizations are of the utmost importance, and we will continue to take decisive action to prevent and respond to such acts of hate.

“To those who promote division and fear – know that your actions do not define Red Deer. Our city stands united against hate, and we will always champion the values of respect, kindness, and inclusion.

“I encourage residents to report any hate-related incidents to the RCMP when they see them, and to continue fostering the strong, welcoming community that Red Deer is known for.”

AGENCIES SHOCKED AND DISTURBED

Frank Bauer, executive director at Care for Newcomers (formerly CARE), tells rdnewsNOW he’d like to invite the folks involved to talk over coffee, to see if there are misconceptions that could be cleared up.

“This is pretty disturbing seeing people in front of our office making bold statements like ‘We have to deport all immigrants.’ I wonder what it is they’re looking at: is it immigrants, people of visible minorities, or is it refugees?” he ponders.

“It’s also interesting that four of the six people had a mask on and were not recognizable. Are they concerned about sharing the message, are they afraid there will be retribution?

Bauer, who says there are many people who falsely believe immigrants receive all kinds of handouts and special treatment, is no stranger to seeing overt displays of racism at or near Care for Newcomers’ office.

—

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• Red Deer youth share accounts of discrimination, encourage kindness at 9th annual CommUnity: Power of One
• All have “personal responsibility” to confront systemic racism, Power of One event speakers agree
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• Anti-racism campaign launched by Red Deer Local Immigration Partnership

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In 2019, there were multiple occasions when a Soldiers of Odin sticker had been stuck on Care for Newsomers’ front window. But what’s especially disturbing this time around, says Bauer, is the symbol on the flag.

A quick Google search yields numerous results linking this symbol to white supremacy-associated groups. The symbol seems to be particularly known as the logo for a group called Stormfront, which uses the motto, “White pride world wide.”

As it turns out, the same symbol and flag was seen displayed in St. Albert, Alberta, northwest of Edmonton, in January. In comparing media reports to images circulating from Red Deer, the signs appear similar or the same, though RCMP are yet to draw a link.

If you ask Halima Ali, executive director at CAIWA, she’ll tell you the incident has shaken her clients.

“We are an organization serving the most vulnerable in Red Deer … women and children. These are people who are suffering and who’ve come here because of trauma situations,” Ali says. “In the place they thought they could find security and well being, instead they’re finding they are still persecuted.”

Ali, herself, once came to Canada as a refugee to escape war in Somalia.

“We contribute to this country and we bring all our knowledge. I came here under asylum and I got little support; I was a well-educated person, and from that time [I arrived], I started working, but also contributing for the wellbeing of our community — and I don’t mean just the immigrant community, I mean all of Canada,” she added, sharing one final message about the people who were on CAIWA’s doorstep.

“Unfortunately, the people who came to our door, they are not Canada. They are people who have their own internal issues. They are frustrated internally and we become the scapegoats.”

rdnewsNOW reached out to Red Deer-South MLA Jason Stephan, who provided a statement on Tuesday.

“Every man and woman is a child of God and of great worth. Racism is incompatible with this truth and is wrong,” said Stephan. “All individuals are accountable for their own words and actions without regard to race. There is too much contention, name calling and labelling. Red Deer has many wonderful families and individuals of all races and is a place where each and every person can use their unique gifts and talents to make it better.”

RCMP RESPONSE

“We are aware of the incident and understand the fear and concern this has caused within our community,” said Red Deer RCMP spokesperson, Cst. Cory Riggs.

“General Investigation Unit is currently investigating the incident to assess whether any criminal offences occurred. We are committed to ensuring that all members of the community feel safe and secure.”

In Canada, hate crimes are covered under multiple sections of the Criminal Code: 318, 319(1) and 319(2). Penalties vary, but can include time in prison.

About three weeks ago, St. Albert RCMP came to the conclusion they couldn’t charge anyone with a hate crime for the incident in January.

“Officers from the St. Albert RCMP including the General Investigations Section collected all available evidence and conducted several interviews from witnesses,” Cpl. Troy Savinkoff, Alberta RCMP media relations, shared on Monday.

“After compiling all evidence, and consultation with the RCMP Hate Crime Coordinator, police determined that although the material displayed during this occurrence was extremely offensive, it did not meet the elements of a criminal offence in the criminal code.”

If anyone has information about the incidents in Red Deer, or can identify the people involved, they’re asked to contact Red Deer RCMP at 403-406-2200. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com, or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store. To report crime online, or for access to RCMP news and information, download the Alberta RCMP app through Apple or Google Play.

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