'Go home' graffiti near Sikh temple shocks Calgary lawyer

A Calgary lawyer was shocked when he came across graffiti scrawled on the fence near a Sikh temple in the northeast community of Martindale on Saturday.

"For a few seconds, I was in a state of shock, I just couldn't believe what I was seeing," Usman Mahmood tells CBC News.

Someone had written 'Go Home' along with what appear to be swastikas, close to the Dashmesh Culture Centre.

"I have seen pictures, I have heard about things, I have read about things but seeing this for the first time, it is a little disturbing," he explained.

Mahmood said diversity is one of the things he loves about the Martindale community.

"Within a few kilometre-range you have a lot of religions, a lot of faith, a lot of communities that live with a lot of peace and harmony. It is a great community to live in, but it is very sad to see this."

Mahmood said he will file a police report over the weekend, but he hopes the community will take action as well.

"I really hope that people do come together to condemn this," he said.

"People from all sorts of faiths. Whoever lives around this area should stand up to it and say, 'this is not going to happen in my neighbourhood.'"

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