HAMILTON — A hate-crimes investigator is looking into intimidation reported by council candidate Kojo Damptey, CHCH reported October 16, as several mayoral candidates condemned racist threats.

Damptey told the broadcaster he received a message threatening to exclude him from elected office and deport him. He attributed it to a white-nationalist group. TNC has not independently authenticated the message or established its authorship.

Andrea Horwath, Keanin Loomis and Scarlett Gillespie condemned the intimidation in CHCH interviews. Gillespie separately said she and campaign volunteers had faced threats.

Horwath said the City would announce an anti-hate campaign the following week; the report does not establish that initiative has launched.

CHCH says Hamilton police contacted Damptey and assigned a hate-crimes investigator. Its report does not announce an arrest or charge, and includes no response from the alleged sender.

Election information

The City’s certified list identifies Damptey as a Ward 14 council candidate. Hamilton’s final ward-wide advance-voting weekend is October 17–18, ahead of Election Day on October 26. The City advises voters to check their ward’s voting locations and bring identification showing their name and home address; a voter card is not required.

Sources: Al Sweeney, CHCH, October 16 at 8:10 p.m. Eastern; City of Hamilton certified candidates; City advance-voting notice.

Lead image: Main Street looking east in downtown Hamilton, June 2007. Rick Cordeiro / Wikimedia Commons, public domain. This dated file photograph provides geographic context; it does not depict the candidates, threats or police inquiry.