Article content

A Calgary restaurant owner says he is “disappointed” after finding the words “F… Islam” spray painted in red, capital letters on the outside of his building Monday morning.

Sat Khezri, owner of KOOB The Kabob Factory on 72 Ave. SE, near the intersection of Glenmore Trail and Stoney Trail S.E., said the message was spray-painted in three spots around the building, including a white brick facade in the front.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Calgary restaurant owner 'disgusted' after finding Islamophobic graffiti Back to video

He said he initially didn’t notice any of the graffiti because he came through the back door in the morning and was only informed of the vandalism by a neighbouring business.

“I was obviously in shock and shaking my head and disgusted that this would even be an issue,” Khezri said. “Guaranteed, it was a target. In the complex itself, there’s a Wonton King and a McDonald’s for food. We’re the only Muslim-looking place even though we don’t have halal food and we’re not pushing Islam or anything like that. But we serve kabob.”

Photo by Ted Rhodes / Calgary Herald

Calgary Police say they are treating the incident as a hate crime.

“This is definitely a hate-motivated mischief,” said Sgt. Eric Levesque, hate crimes co-ordinator for the Calgary Police Service.

Levesque said he hasn’t yet seen other graffiti with the exact wording of this incident this year in Calgary, however, it isn’t uncommon.