The NDP members of the Ontario Legislature from Windsor-Essex are speaking out against a series of incidents against the transgender community.
Three times during the month of February, vandals attacked the offices of W.E. Trans Support on Tecumseh Road East in Windsor, which provides programs supporting the area's LGBTQ+ community. Vandals have scrawled swastikas, profanity, homophobic and racial slurs on the building's front window, and even shattered the glass by throwing a rusted brake rotor through it, which caused thousands of dollars in damage.
Windsor West MPP Lisa Gretzky, Windsor-Tecumseh's Percy Hatfield, and Essex's Taras Natyshak put out a joint statement condemning the violence.
"The Windsor-Essex Transgender and Allied Support Centre supports individuals who are questioning their gender identity or who identify as part of the queer and trans community. Additionally, they provide educational resources for families, friends, and allies who want to learn how to best support their loved ones throughout their journey," read the statement. "We, as a community, must condemn these vile acts. Windsor-Essex is a loving, accepting region, and hatred and violence have no place in our community. These attacks are not representative of the broader community."
A GoFundMe page had been set up to raise money for repairs caused by the vandalism. As of Friday night, the page collected $13,350 in donations, surpassing a goal of $5,500.
