It didn't take long for Cold Lake residents to arrive at the Cold Lake mosque to help clean it up.
The RCMP got the call about 6:30 a.m. Friday that the mosque had been vandalized.
Windows on either side of the front entrance were broken, smashed by bricks, and the words “Canada” and “go home” were spray painted on the building with red spray paint sometime Thursday night or Friday morning.
By Friday afternoon, residents had removed most of the graffiti and covered one broken window with a sign which reads "Love Your Neighbour."
Another sign reads "You are Home."
Sgt. Troy Hadland from the Cold Lake RCMP detachment said the RCMP is “treating it very seriously – not tolerating it.”
The President of the Islamic Society of Cold Lake talked to CTV News Friday, Ajaz Quraishi said he hopes this is an isolated incident.
In a Facebook post Cold Lake resident Debora Moes wrote “I am completely disgusted to what happened to the mosque! What is wrong with people!!!”
In one Facebook response someone else writes “you do not speak for us!!!...you cannot intimidate. We stand with the people of the mosque in solidarity.”
Sgt. Hadland said when they do find a suspect, it may be considered a hate crime, but it is something RCMP will “discuss with the crown prosecutor...if elements are met for hate crime.”
The town of Cold Lake is home to the military base where Canadian CF-18 fighters departed from earlier this month. Canada is participating in airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq.
(With files from CTV Edmonton)
