Anti-Ukrainian vandalism, harassment rising at Canadian universities, students say

Ukrainian students are facing an increase in anti-Ukrainian hate symbols and harassment on Canadian university campuses, student clubs say.

In an open letter published last Thursday, the Carleton Ukrainian Students' Club described several incidents of anti-Ukrainian harassment that have taken place on the university's campus since September 2022, including multiple reports of hate graffiti, an allegation of verbal harassment and an on-campus panel discussion which the club views as pro-Russian.

Frustration among Ukrainian students had been "piling up for a while," said president of the club Anastasiia Kot, and Carleton is now one of several universities across the country where Ukrainian students are making those concerns public.

"It's anger that such people exist, such people that are members of our community," Kot said.

In the letter, Carleton's Ukrainian club said it was "deeply perturbed" by an increase in hate symbols on campus since the start of the fall term.

The letter pointed to three separate incidents of graffiti appearing on campus from September to October 2022. In each, a "Z" appeared next to the word "Russia" in Cyrillic script. The "Z" has become a symbol of support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has appeared on Russian military vehicles.

The club also objected to the hanging of a Russian flag in a dormitory window and detailed one account in which a Carleton student who was wearing a Ukrainian scrunchie on a campus elevator was allegedly told "all Ukrainians should kill themselves."

The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) told CBC in an email it had opened an investigation into the Russian flag that was later closed "due to a lack of evidence."

OPS added it has not opened any further investigations into the issue.

A Carleton University spokesperson said in an email to CBC that all incidents on campus "have been and will continue to be taken seriously."

"The university does not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment and acknowledges the important role we play in helping students and visitors to our campus feel safe, secure and supported," the spokesperson said.

Carleton did not, however, confirm the number of unique reports of anti-Ukrainian graffiti it has received from students.

The university also did not address any of the specific allegations in the Ukrainian club's letter, nor did it say whether it would respond to the club's calls to action.

'Rising issue' across the country, Ukrainian congress says

In its own open letter, the University of Victoria Ukrainian Students' Society alleged that some of its members were verbally accosted on campus and one member's property was defaced with the word "Nazi."

The club also said that members of the Young Communist League of Canada, another ratified club at the university, accused Ukrainian students of supporting fascism and antisemitism in a Facebook post.

"As a result of the inaction of the UVSS [University of Victoria Student Society] and the university, anti-Ukrainian sentiment has been allowed to fester on campus," the club wrote.

Kevin Hall, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Victoria, launched an investigation into the matter last Friday.

The Young Communist League did not respond to a request for comment.

Orest Zakydalsky, senior policy adviser with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), said universities have a "responsibility to provide a safe environment" for their students.

"To the extent that they are failing to do that — and we see anti-Ukrainian graffiti, anti-Ukrainian attacks, that sort of thing — that is the responsibility of the universities," he said.

Zakydalsky added that although the UCC plans to contact universities about anti-Ukrainian harassment, the issue is not restricted to campuses.

"Since the full-scale invasion a year ago, our community has seen rising … physical attacks, vandalism, violence," he said. "Across the country, it's been a rising issue."

Zakydalsky said the UCC has requested the federal government create a task force to address anti-Ukrainian attacks.

Controversy over panel discussion

The Carleton Ukrainian club also denounced a panel discussion held on the university's campus last week titled, The War in Ukraine: What is the Path to Peace?

It was organized by the Ottawa Peace Council, an advocacy group that favours disarmament and diplomatic solutions to conflict.

Anastasia Stoikos-Lettieri, president and CEO of the Carleton University Student Association (CUSA), said the student association and the Ukrainian club opposed the event because, in their view, it acted as a "mouthpiece for Russian propaganda" and promoted hate.

The council denies that the event was pro-Russian.

Carleton did not to respond to CBC's question about the panel.