Maple Leaf offers $25K reward after 'racist' object, graffiti found at London, Ont., poultry plant site

Maple Leaf Foods and the construction company Graham Builds are offering a $25,000 reward for information on the person or persons who left "racist" graffiti and "paraphernalia" at the London, Ont., site of a poultry plant that's under construction, CBC News has learned. 

An employee at the construction site said the anti-Semitic graffiti was written on bathroom stalls at the Wilton Grove Road facility. A noose was also suspended from the ceiling at the site, the employee said.

CBC News has agreed to withhold the employee's name because the person fears for their job.

Photos that were taken in the bathroom were seen by CBC News. They show derogatory comments about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and vaccine mandates. An image of the rope was not available. 

"Our company abhors any form of racism," Maple Leaf Foods wrote in an email to CBC News. "The finding of racist paraphernalia at the London construction site prompted an immediate response, as it should. Rooting out racism wherever and however it occurs is an absolute priority for us. This includes holding whoever engaged in racist activities at this site accountable,"

The Canadian packaged-meats company said they are "sickened by the despicable, racist actions of a yet-unknown person." They said the matter has been reported to authorities and is being investigated. 

The London Police Service said Wednesday it conducted a thorough investigation and did not lay charges. It said it will support the private companies where necessary and appropriate. 

Maple Leaf and Graham Construction, which are building the $660-million, 57,600-square-metre chicken processing facility, have offered the reward for information leading to an arrest. 

"Maple Leaf Foods abhors racism, and we will not tolerate it. The perpetrator must be identified and be held accountable, and we have offered a reward for information leading to the identification of the perpetrator," Maple Leaf Foods wrote in an emailed statement.

"In addition to being outraged, we recognize that it is deeply disturbing for the workforce at the site, and so in addition to taking forceful action to address this event, we have offered support for workers at the site."

When finished later this year, the Wilton Grove facility will be one of the largest chicken processing plants in the world and employ 1,500 people. 

The act comes a day after graffiti, including the N-word and swastikas, was found at Stephens Farm Park in northeast London on Tuesday afternoon.