First Nation's church sign vandalized with racist graffiti

A First Nation congregation in Kitimat is reeling after racist graffiti defaced their church.

The Haisla Pentecostal Assembly's sign was vandalized with the words "white power" sometime last week, acting pastor Dan Martin says.

"It's not something you want to see. I wasn't enthusiastic about it at all," Martin told Radio West host Audrey McKinnon.

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Martin says he feels the act isn't a reflection of the wider community, butit's not the first time he's experiencedhate and racism.

"It's subtle. You hear comments in your community," he said. "Attitudes the way people conduct themselves around you, sometimes it surfaces."

'I just hate that way of thinking'

If there's a silver lining to the incident, it's that Terrace signmaker Chase Thomson has volunteered to replace the sign for free.

"I just hate that way of thinking," Thomson said of the racism behind the graffiti. "It just destroys people. It just bothered me. It bothers me people think that way."

Thomson aims to make the sign relevant to Haisla culture. "I'd like it to mean something."

Martin, for his part, is focusing on moving from the hateful incident.

"As a person of faith, I've come to the conclusion that I just have to let it go and just forgive," he said. "That's just the way it works with me."

The new sign is expected to be in place in a few weeks.

With files from CBC Radio One's Radio West

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