JOINT RELEASE - OWEN SOUND POLICE AND GREY BRUCE PRIDE

Owen Sound is an increasingly diverse and inclusive community that continues to welcome residents and visitors from all walks of life. Every member of our community is valued and deserves to be treated with respect and without fear of discrimination or of being a victim of threats or targeted harassment.

June represents Pride Month; a month to celebrate, honour, and work towards equitable justice and equity for our 2S-LGBTQQIAP+ Community. Pride is a celebration of freedom and advancements of our Human Rights. Locally, we have just celebrated our 5th Annual Pride Parade and Celebration. Many members of our community decorate their homes and businesses with the Pride flag, the same flag which proudly flies at both City Hall and the Owen Sound Police Service. Sadly, in recent days a number of local residents displaying this flag have been targeted with offensive, harassing, and intolerant letters delivered to their homes anonymously through the mail, addressed to “Prideman”. The Owen Sound Police Criminal Investigations Branch has launched a priority investigation into the source of these letters and investigators are currently in contact with a number of victims who have brought them forward to our attention. If anyone has received one of these letters and has yet to report it, we would like to encourage you to contact the police, and preserve the letter, preferably unopened, for police analysis. Alternatively, Grey Bruce Pride can be contacted and can liaise with the police on your behalf.

Harassment and intolerance have no place in our community, and the Owen Sound Police Service stands with our friends and partners at Grey Bruce Pride in working to ensure Owen Sound remains a safe, vibrant, and inclusive place to live for everyone.