A Beechville, Nova Scotia family is speaking out about a threatening, racist letter was left at their home by someone upset by the state of their yard.

Zinah Al Jamil found the unsigned letter earlier this week.

It read, in part: “Maintain your yard or see what happens to you and your home if you don’t. You are not a Canadian and maybe this is how your home looks in your country, but we don’t want your messy yards and lack of up-keep ruining our community. Fix it now pig.”

Al Jamil has lived in Canada with her sister for more than 10 years and both are Canadian citizens. After she spoke to CTV News Atlantic about the letter this week, she found more than a dozen nails left in her driveway.

“This is a very clear threat,” she said.

The sisters brought their parents to Canada from Lebanon about three months ago.

“I don’t want anything to happen to my parents. I mean, it took us years before we could bring them here. And our whole thing to bring them here is Canada is safe,” Al Jamil said.

The family has filed a complaint with police and are grateful for an outpouring of support from neighbours.

Residents shown the letter by CTV News Atlantic were shocked.

“I just feel sorry about this family and what happened,” said Rose Chen. “I mean, if you don’t like anything happening in this community, you can stand up and talk about it but not in this way.”

The RCMP is asking anyone who may have knowledge of the letter or anyone who has been targeted in a similar way to come forward.

“If anyone saw or heard about what happened to this family, I would certainly encourage them to come forward to the police and let us know what they witnessed, just to maybe help us with our investigation and help this family out,” said Cpl. Jennifer Clarke of the Nova Scotia RCMP.

Al Jamil lives in a semi-detached house in Beechville, a rural community within the Halifax Regional Municipality. There is some long grass out front but the majority of people commenting on CTV News Atlantic’s Facebook page say the letter is cowardly and way out of line.

“Please know that this one individual does not represent the hearts of most Canadians! Personally I am very thankful that you could flee the danger of Lebanon to live safely here in Canada! #mycanadaincludesallcultures,” wrote Lori Cummings.

“I feel bad for the family, it is a very small minded person who did this,” wrote Barbara Lowe.

With files from CTV Atlantic