OPP investigating hate crime at fairgrounds in Petrolia

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PETROLIA – Police say they’re investigating what they described as a hate crime alleged to have taken place in a single day Saturday on the Petrolia and Enniskillen Fall Fairgrounds.

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Chris Tripp, who owns Truckin Mamas On the Run together with his mom, mentioned he arrived on the meals truck Sunday morning the place it was parked for the weekend fall truthful.

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“Someone by means of the evening had tied a noose with a Pleasure flag in it, hung it on our propane tanks with a brick on the opposite finish – mainly saying I needs to be hung and thrown within the river,” Tripp mentioned.

He referred to as Lambton OPP and mentioned late Sunday afternoon officers had been to the truck “quite a few occasions. They’re taking it very severely.”

Among the many first folks to strategy him to precise assist have been officers from the Petrolia and Enniskillen Agricultural Society which organizes the annual truthful.

“We aren’t pleased with what occurred,” mentioned board president Kelly Humphrey. “This isn’t who we’re. I hope they discover the those that did it they usually get punished.”

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Tripp mentioned police instructed him they’re going door-to-door and checking surveillance video from the world across the fairgrounds.

Lambton OPP requested for anybody with details about the incident to name the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers.

Tripp mentioned he has skilled many incidents “over the past 15 years however this was the one which was in all probability the worst.”

One of many earlier incidents was earlier this 12 months when somebody confronted the meals truck operators due to a Pleasure flag they have been flying on the truck the place it’s often parked in Petrolia’s Bridgeview Park.

Tripp spoke out about this weekend’s incident and subsequent police probe to boost “group consciousness” and out of concern for younger folks. “I don’t care about me. I’m 47 years outdated. I can take so much.”

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However Tripp, who lives in Petrolia and grew up in Watford, mentioned he doesn’t just like the affect the incidents have on his household “and all people else who has to listen to about it and take care of it.”

“It’s a small handful,” he mentioned about such incidents. “A group is constructed of lots of people . . . there’s loads of good folks on the market.”

The earlier confrontation over the Pleasure flag resulted in a fundraiser for DiversityEd Safer Areas Canada, a Sarnia-based group working to create and preserve safer, inclusive and equitable communities for 2SLGBTQAI+ youngsters, youth, adults and their households, Tripp mentioned.

“Make one thing good out of one thing dangerous,” he mentioned. “I’m bored with this occurring. Is it going to cease me? No. We simply preserve doing what we do.”

pmorden@postmedia.com