Graffiti spray-painted on a bus shelter in Richmond appears to signal on-going tensions between Hong Kong supporters and those supporting the Chinese government.

The graffiti simply read “China,” in simplified Chinese characters, but it was placed on a “Free Hong Kong” ad, placed at the bus shelter at Westminster Highway and No. 3 Road.

article continues below

The ad was placed by the Vancouver Society of Freedom, Democracy and Human Rights for China, which has been seen protesting at the Chinese embassy in Vancouver.

By early Wednesday morning, the graffiti was gone.

This follows on the heels of tensions at Richmond secondary where a pro-China letter was placed anonymously on the locker of a student who had indicated support for the Hong Kong protesters.

The letter praised the Chinese government and called Hong Kongers “despicable and cowardly,” adding, “We treat you so well, you are still ungrateful.”

There was also a fight at a Richmond high school between pro-Hong Kong and pro-China supporters and eventually the police were called in to look into it.

Massive protests have continued for months in Hong Kong pushing against the Chinese government.

Richmond city council recently approved a plan to work on cultural harmony in the city.