Calgary All Saints Russian Orthodox Church vandalized, police seek suspect
Posted Mar 1, 2022 4:29 pm.
Last Updated Mar 2, 2022 9:51 am.
Calgary police are looking for a man believed to be responsible for the vandalism of a church over the weekend.
On Feb. 26 around 9:40 p.m., police say a man entered the fenced yard of the All Saints Russian Orthodox Church along 8 Avenue NE.
Police say it’s believed the man applied red paint to the front doors of the church before heading northbound on 8 Avenue.
The man is described as being roughly 5’10” tall, with a medium build. Police say he was wearing a black toque, black face mask, brown anorak style jacket, dark blue jeans, glasses and black runners at the time of the incident.
The Calgary Police Service Hate Crimes Team is currently investigating. At this time it isn’t known what motivated the vandalism.
Some members of Calgary’s Russian community believe the vandalism was an act of aggression due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They are reminding people that many Russian people are not in support of the violent conflict.
“Somebody has some pain for that war which is going on in Ukraine right now,” said Father Dmitry Grygoryev with the church. “So, looking for someplace to express his pain but the church is not the place to do that, we are out of politics anyhow.”
Anyone with information is being asked to contact police at 403-266-1234.
