Victims of racist bullies staying put

Newmarket couple Seun Oyinsan and Rita Brown are staying put and not giving in to racist taunts and threats (DAVE ABEL/Toronto Sun).

TORONTO - The best way to deal with racist bullies is to stand up to them.
At least that’s the approach taken by Newmarket couple Seun Oyinsan and Rita Brown.
A roller-coaster ride of fear after renewed racist attacks prompted the mixed-race Newmarket couple to re-list their home for sale after Christmas.
Then the mayor and their ward councillor came visiting Saturday with offers of moral and tangible community support.
Rita Brown and Seun Oyinsan have now decided to stay — which Mayor Tony Van Bynen welcomed as “a good way to start off the New Year.”
He praised them for the “courage” to get the latest ‘For Sale’ sign removed from their Hodgson Dr. lawn and the listing cancelled.
With numerous notes from neighbours since going public Wednesday through The Sun, Van Bynen and Councillor Joe Sponga’s visit was the final convincing act of kindness, Brown said.
Despite expecting more attacks, she hopes York Regional Police catch whoever sprayed graffiti on their garage door and SUV in September, then scratched the “N” word on it and a car Christmas Eve — three days after their first sales sign was removed due to a two-month lull.
Brown being white, her husband black, appears the only motive for the graffiti and an accompanying death threat note, police said.
“We like it here, the neighbours are great,” Oyinsan, who is from Nigeria and felt comfortable in Canada over the past 15 years, said.
Insp. Rick McCabe said suspects were interviewed and officers placed a surveillance camera on the house, without success.
New strategies are now underway, he said, vowing when the always-weekend skulker is caught, “we’re going to be asking for jail times ... lots of it.
“As a citizen of this community, it’s disgusting,” McCabe said in an interview.
A detective called the attack Newmarket’s worst-known case of racism graffiti.
Since going public, Brown said neighbour and town support has been gratifying.
Van Bynen and Sponga advised them Saturday that town council is creating a charity fund to help repair their vehicles and assist other “victimized people,” she said.
Though grateful and humbled by several private offers, “we don’t want to take any money personally from anybody,” Brown said.
“We’re still drafting the framework” for Newmarket Cares, the mayor said.
“We’ll be careful in selecting the individuals,” Van Bynen said, adding the new fund will augment government programs, but with the added attraction of giving generous people “an opportunity to channel their support.
“We’re a town of 14 square miles and people still know their neighbours,” Van Bynen said.