(Ottawa) An act of vandalism allegedly committed in front of the Russian embassy in Ottawa by three young men who were near a car with diplomatic license plates angered the Ukrainian-Canadian Congress.
Posted at 5:26 p.m.
The alleged incident was reported late Tuesday evening on Twitter by a resident of the federal capital.
“Three Russians spraying black paint on a yellow and blue bicycle in front of the embassy. Looks like vandalism, in my opinion,” wrote Peter O’Neil in a tweet posted to the Ottawa Police Service.
The photo accompanying his comment shows three men in front of the Kremlin Mission building in Ottawa on Charlotte Street. They are in front of a vehicle which is provided with special diplomatic plates, easily recognizable by their red color.
The police force that was arrested is looking into the matter.
“The Ottawa Police Service is aware of a publication […] regarding a bicycle in the 200 block of Charlotte Street. We consult with relevant partners and stakeholders. No complaints have been filed with the police at this time,” an email wrote.
The Russian Embassy did not respond to questions from The Press, nor has the Embassy of Ukraine communicated any reaction to this event. On the other hand, the Ukrainian-Canadian Congress did not hesitate to express its anger.
“It is an outrageous act, and the presence of a car with diplomatic plates raises serious questions about who was involved and on whose orders this destruction and hatred was carried out. We call on the police to investigate fully and promptly,” the group blasted in a statement on Wednesday.
Saying it was “disgusted” by this “act of vandalism” committed on Tuesday evening, the organization demanded the expulsion of the Moscow ambassador, Oleg Stepanov – a request that the Trudeau government has never wanted to accede to, saying it wants maintain its own diplomatic presence in Russia.
The bicycle which was vandalized with paint and stamped with the letter ‘Z’ (a symbol of support for the Russian military) is believed to have been installed there by local activists after Russia invaded Ukraine , according to the Canadian-Ukrainian Congress.
The Moscow Embassy in Ottawa is located on Charlotte Street.
The thoroughfare has been temporarily renamed “Free Ukraine” by the City of Ottawa.