Some messaging in a city-wide, Valentine's Day social activism campaign “would be upsetting” to community members, believes Mayor Cam Guthrie, who has heaped his condemnation on the initiative.
“Not only will the taxpayers of Guelph now have to pay thousands of dollars and multiple repairs to these shelters, but some of these messages have clearly made people feel like they not only don’t belong, but that they’re being specifically targeted,” Guthrie said in a social media post. “I stand with those harmed and stand against all forms of discrimination and I’d ask the community to do the same.”
Those comments are in reference to a campaign from street artist Lionel and Show Up Guelph which saw posters put up in “every unoccupied bus stop billboard” in the city on Wednesday morning, as explained in a Wednesday morning email to GuelphToday from Lionel.
The posters featured the red triangle of the Palestinian flag morphing into a heart, with messages including “Happy Valentine's,” “From The River To The Sea” and “Free Palestine” written in red like blood dripping from the heart.
From the river to the sea is a reference to the land from the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea that includes Israel and the West Bank in the Middle East. It’s often used as a chant during protests calling for the creation of a sovereign Palestinian nation not under Israeli military control.
Some claim the phrase to be antisemitic, while others believe it to be non-threatening in nature.
Reached via email for comment, Lionel had the following to say:
“I designed the poster ‘Happy Valentines’ but was NOT responsible for, or have control over, the production or installation. So I can't speak to alternate messaging that may have deviated from what was originally intended,” he wrote. “To be clear...I do NOT represent, speak for, or can comment on anything to do with Show Up Guelph.”
Efforts to reach representatives of Show Up Guelph weren’t immediately successful.
However, a post on the group’s Instagram page that is also posted on the Independent Jewish Voices of Guelph Instagram page responds to Guthrie’s condemnation.
“You are speaking from a place of privilege, specifically the privilege of being able to look away during genocide,” it reads. “You claim that your statement is in support of the local Jewish community, but we are writing to you as local Jewish residents who reject and are actively harmed by your statement.”
Following a Wednesday morning complaint from Guelph Transit, which reported several thousands of dollars in damage, Guelph police announced an investigation into the matter.
A Thursday morning news release, police indicated 60 bus shelters "had their display cases opened and existing advertisements were removed or replaced with what could be construed as political messaging. ... As we seek to ensure the safety of our community, any criminal acts of mischief, vandalism and the wilful promotion of hatred will be investigated accordingly."
