The word “hoax” was spray painted on a handful of COVID-19 physical distancing signs at Coquitlam’s Town Centre Park over the weekend.
Kathleen Vincent, Coquitlam’s manager of corporate communications, said the city is aware of the vandalism and working to remove the boards, which were posted at the beginning of the public-health crisis to encourage people to stay two-metres apart.
“We’re doing that assessment this morning,” she said in an email, adding: “We were alerted to this over the weekend and are currently working to have the signs removed.”
COVID-19 conspiracy theories have persisted throughout the pandemic, with several hundred people attending an anti-mask protest in Vancouver last week.
However, 83% of British Columbians say they are satisfied with how the province is handling the crisis and 70% of Canadians are regularly wearing masks, according to a recent survey conducted by Research Co. president and Business In Vancouver columnist Mario Canseco.
