St. Catharines councillor returns GoFundMe donations for smashed window repairs

A politician in St. Catharines is returning GoFundMe donations from the community to fix her broken window.

In a joint statement, city councillors Karrie Porter and Laura Ip said the $2,460 raised will be given back because regional integrity commissioners said there may be a violation if the donations were accepted.

Ip started the fundraiser so that Porter would not have to pay out of her own pocket for the damages.

Integrity commissioners John Mascarin and Michael Maynard said there is no violation in starting and administering the initiative; but there may be a problem if Porter takes the donations.

In the morning of Jan. 31, Porter took to Twitter to say a rock was thrown through the front window of her home by an unknown person. She believes she caught the suspect on video running away from the scene.

Good day to all except the guy who threw a rock through our front window. Look bud, I know the snow removal has been SUPER frustrating but there’s a less shitty way to vent to your Councillor! It’s the snow, right? Not the video I posted of Cap’t Von Trapp ripping the Nazi flag? pic.twitter.com/yCInh5jqhD

— Karrie Porter 🟩 (@karrieporter) January 30, 2022

Porter acknowledged that the perpetrator was likely motivated by her recent social media comments about the ongoing trucker convoy and the topics of facism and antifascism.

This is the second time Porter has had her home vandalized as people protesting the COVID-19 vaccines spray painted her home last fall.

St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik is also among local politicians who have been targeted recently. Last September, his home and vehicle were vandalized.

“Politicians’ homes are being attacked and targeted,” Sendzik said in a Morning Live interview Thursday.

“That never should be accepted by a community. These are polarizing times and people have to stop these kinds of acts that are violent.”