Cambridge pharmacy targeted by vandals for a second time

Waterloo regional police are investigating after a rock was thrown through the window of a Cambridge, Ont., pharmacyearly this week.

Police say the same pharmacy on King Street E. was targeted earlier this month and they're trying to determine if the cases are related.

The latest case happened sometime overnight Tuesdayinto Wednesday.

The Cambridge Medical Pharmacy posted about the latest vandalism on Facebook.

"[The] pharmacy only offers vaccine to patients looking for it. Please come to pharmacy and discuss with pharmacy staff if you want to know more about vaccines. Damaging property and vandalism does not help anyone," the business wrote in the post, which also appears to showsurveillance footage from that night.

Police want toidentify andspeak to a person seen riding a bicycle in the area at the time.

Waterloo regional police continue to investigate acts of vandalism against a pharmacy and a bistro which happened sometime between October 12and 13.

In that case, rocks with anti-vaccination messaging on them were thrown at and through windows at the businesses.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact police at 519-570-9777 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

'Hate has no place'

Mayor Kathryn McGarry visited the pharmacy. She tweeted "hate has no place here" and urged people to support local businesses.

Regional Chair Karen Redman also addressed the vandalism during a media briefing on Friday, saying pharmacies have been valuable partners in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and thanked them for that.

Vickie Murray, the vaccine lead for the region, said pharmacies give people options to get the vaccineand that accessibility has been key in the region's rollout.

"I think we're all disheartened to see acts like that," Murray said. "But I'm also really thankful for this collaborative rolethat we have because it's really allowed out vaccine rollout to go into places I think that we may not have been before. So I sure hope it doesn't scare any pharmacies away."

"Their support is essential."