“It disgusts me,” admitted neighbour Sharon Lammers. “It has a lot of bad memories attached to it. My family is German. I’m a first-generation Canadian and it has no place here. Especially since a lot of Germans immigrated here and they didn’t want to bring that with them.”
A Nazi military flag known as the Kriegsmarine was seen outside a home on Sterling Avenue South on Monday.
Marshall, who was passing by, could not believe his eyes when he saw the Nazi symbol for the first time.
“It surprised me,” he said. “So I turned around. When I saw what it was, I took pictures and called the police right away.
The Waterloo Regional Police Service said they have received multiple reports from the community.
“Officers attended the home and attempted to speak with the resident,” said Officer Chris Eden, a spokesperson for Waterloo Region Police. “However, they were unsuccessful in doing so. An investigation has been launched in collaboration with the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Unit.
The flag has since been removed, but police are unsure who did it.
“There was no communication with the person [vivant dans la maison]», added a spokesperson for the police force.
CTV News also tried to speak to the owners, but there was no answer when a reporter knocked on the door.
The police said there was nothing more they could do.
“We recognize that individuals have a right to freedom of expression under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” said Mr. Eden. “However, offensive and hateful comments have no place in the field.”
Police still want to speak to the resident. “We are open to any communication with the individual,” a spokesperson for the Waterloo Regional Police Service said.
In the meantime, neighbors hope they never see the flag again.
“It has no place here,” Ms. Lammers said. “I’m glad it came down and I hope they don’t put it back up.”
“I felt it was a lack of respect for the neighbourhood and the city of Kitchener,” Marshall said. “Flying this flag could cause undue offense to certain groups.”
When he shared the photos online, he was disappointed to see people defending the flag.
“People in general are either uneducated or ignorant,” Mr Marshall said. “Whoever reported the incident, I thank them because that’s what makes this community special.”
A text by Jennifer K. Baker in collaboration with Colton Wiens