A Montreal combat hatred by erasing graffiti

Photo courtesy
Corey Fleischer has come to the aid of a mother and her three children in Montreal, erasing a swastika, which dated back to 15 years, according to the owner of the house.

Carl Vaillancourt

Thursday, 28 December 2017 23:44

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Thursday, 28 December 2017 23:44

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A Montreal 36-year-old has been between 8 and 12 hours a day volunteering to clear thousands of graffiti discriminatory to eradicate the hatred.

Corey Fleischer, an entrepreneur who owns a cleaning company, spends her free time for the past seven years to clean up graffiti hate Montreal, but also around the world.

Thanks to social media, he has recruited hundreds of volunteers to remove them also graffiti-malicious in their city.

It truly is given the mission to put an end to hatred, a graffiti at the time.

“It makes me sick. Racism and discrimination fill me with disgust, ” he says.

A stop marking

It all started when he was driving in his truck cleaning in June 2010. Locked-fire red, his eyes crossed a swastika on a block of cement, which was a reference to nazi Germany.

Mr. Fleischer continued his way to go to clean the yard of a customer, but drawing occupied her mind.

It was decided to give leave to its employees to return to erase the swastika.

“I had everything in my truck to clear it. It haunted me. When I got cleared, I experienced an indescribable feeling of joy, ” remembered Corey Fleischer.

From that moment, the man of the jewish faith, began to search for and erase all the signs that were spreading hate.

“I wanted to make a difference. For me, it had become a purpose “, he added.

He had not anticipated that his initial action would become a social movement that extends to the planet.

“I was motivated to contribute to what I would like to see change in this world,” explained the one who intends to pursue this initiative for the rest of his life.

5 years of silence

Between 2010 and 2015, Corey Fleischer has cleared a fifty signs of hate such as words that are discriminatory against groups, homosexuals, or ethnic, and personal attacks, but he doesn’t talk to anybody.

In June 2015, it was decided to publish a photo of his work on a wall marked by a “swastika” (a swastika).

Photo courtesy

Corey Fleischer has been called to remove a swastika, referring to nazi germany on a house in the neighborhood of Côte Saint-Luc the size of a human.

Thousands of people have shared his initiative. It is at this time that his movement “Erasinghate” has seen the light of day (see text below).

He remembers in particular an event during which he saves a lot of money from motorists.

“A thief had painted signs hate on vehicles in a parking lot sub-ground of Montreal. I did save more than $ 1000 to each of the owners to remove the paint using my machine for pressure washing, ” said the one who does not receive a penny of his initiative.

It has even already done a round-trip

Montreal–Toronto in order to erase signs of hate on the wall of a dwelling of an old lady who had contacted him.

The movement #Erasinghate become a global

Corey Fleischer can’t get over that his “Erasinghate” has become so big around the world since he published a photo of him trying to remove a graffiti hater in 2015.

The man, 36-year-old receives weekly requests of hundreds of people who want to remove graffiti that is hateful. He managed to rally several of his disciples to his cause. In total, they are approximately 1000 in the world to contribute to the movement #Erasinghate.

“I get the picture and the place. I do all the steps with the City or with one of my knowledge to get it removed. Sometimes, I can even pay for between $ 300 and $ 500 out of my pocket to erase graffiti. I make sure to co-ordinate the work and I ensure that graffiti is obliterated when I can’t go there myself “, he told.

A model of peace

It is estimated that between 5000 and 10 000 graffiti have been removed thanks to his initiative. By his own admission, he has erased nearly half of those.

In addition, Mr. Fleischer takes the time to fill out a slip for each call or message that it receives. It has even been computerized so as to be able to have a better idea of the range of movement.

The canadian government, through the liberal member for Pierrefonds–Dollard, Frank Baylis, handed him, on 15 December, a distinction for his commitment in service to the community.

“This prize is awarded to Corey Fleischer for his contribution to eradicate the hatred in Montreal, but also around the world to educate a society without hate speech, no hate crime and discrimination “, we can read on his honorary certificate.

Inspiration

This is not the first award that Corey Fleischer wins. He has also received the title of volunteer of the year, for his contribution in 2015, awarded by the organization YMCA Quebec.

At an event held in Toronto in 2016, 25 survivors of the Holocaust have been honoured for their courage. The work of Mr Fleischer has also been stressed on this occasion.

He has recently started a tour of schools in the montreal region to raise the awareness of young people on the acceptance of the other.

“If I can inspire one young person in my life, I will have succeeded,” he said.