University of Alberta (U of A) students discovered anti-Sikh posters spread across campus on Sept. 19.
Twelve identical posters were quickly removed by U of A Protective Services.
The posters portrayed a man wearing a turban with the words “if you’re so obsessed with your third-world culture, go the fu*k back to where you came from!”
U of A President David Turpin was quick to condemn the posters.
“The [U of A] is a space that is open to all people and we take pride in the strength of our diverse community,” he said in a statement from the university on Sept. 20. He said that campus police are investigating the incident.
Turpin appeared in a video alongside Yadvinder Bhardwaj, president of the U of A Indian Students’ Association, to tackle the issue of racism and “make it awkward.”
“We felt it very important to be out there and, when something like this happens, turn it around—shine a light on it and say, ‘Look, this is unacceptable,’” Turpin said.
The video makes reference to the hashtag, #MakeItAwkward, which has recently gained popularity on Twitter in response to racist confrontations that were captured on video.
Canadian politicians also denounced the posters.
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan tweeted “Proud to be Canadian, proud of my service to Canada, proud of my turban.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also joined in the discussion on Twitter.
“We’re proud of the enormous contributions Sikhs make to this country every day. #MakeItAwkward,” he wrote.
CBC reported that the university hosted a turban-tying event, titled “Turban, Eh?” on Sept. 27, organized by members of the university’s Sikh Student Association. Students who went to the event were able to choose a colour of turban, which was then tied to their head by one of the event volunteers.
