B.C. residents protest anti-Semitic cemetery vandalism

VANCOUVER — Residents of Victoria have taken a stand against hate and intolerance during a vigil at British Columbia's oldest Jewish cemetery.

The Jewish community held a vigil at the cemetery on Sunday afternoon to protest the recent desecration of five headstones with swastikas and other Nazi symbols.

Rabbi Harry Brechner says "a sea of people" of different religious and ethnic backgrounds attended the event, sang songs and listened to speeches.
He says the turnout is encouraging and shows that residents do not want to see such acts in their community.

Brechner says the headstones have been cleaned and restored as best as possible and the police investigation into the matter continues.
The cemetery was first dedicated in 1859.

The Canadian Press