Anti-immigrant group’s racist flyers under investigation

More anti-Chinese flyers have been distributed in Richmond.

Richmond RCMP confirmed Wednesday that an investigation is underway into the racist flyers, which bear the headline “Immigration Has Turned Into the Plundering of Canada” and were distributed by anti-immigrant group Immigration Watch Canada.

“The Richmond RCMP is aware that an anti-immigration flyer was distributed on Monday in Richmond,” Cpl. Dennis Hwang said in an emailed statement.

“Our General Investigation Section (GIS) is investigating, and we have consulted with the B.C. Hate Crime Team.”

In September, Immigration Watch Canada denied it was behind offensive posters on the University of Alberta campus. The group posted a statement on its website saying it strongly condemned the posters, which it claimed included its URL address without permission.

But in 2014, the same group distributed anti-immigration flyers singling out the Sikh community in Brampton, Ont. It also hung an anti-immigration banner from a Richmond overpass. It promotes white nationalism in its materials and on its website.

In an email, Immigration Watch Canada spokesman Dan Murray confirmed his group was responsible for the new flyers. Murray said the issues raised by the flyers are “extremely important.”

Wednesday, a Vancouver resident forwarded a scan of the new flyer to Postmedia, claiming it had been slipped through the mail slot of his home in Kerrisdale.

Vancouver police said they hadn’t yet received complaints about the flyer.

Richmond police are also investigating anti-Chinese flyers that were distributed to some Steveston homes on Nov. 17.

Premier Christy Clark slammed the spread of racist materials in the province during a news conference on Tuesday.

“It’s not what B.C. is about,” she said. “And, you know, I think the way to stop it is for all of us to condemn it.”

Anyone with information about the flyers is asked to contact Richmond RCMP at 604-278-1212, or by email at Richmond_Tips@rcmpgrc.gc.ca.