Kincardine Mayor Ken Craig began council's meeting this week by calling out any "acts rooted in hate and discrimination," after a reportedly racially-motivated attack last week.
The incident was described in an OPP media release as a 60-year-old Huron-Kinloss man getting charged with uttering threats to cause death after "an altercation took place."
According to the victim's family, there was no altercation: the man verbally assaulted a teen based on the colour of their skin.
The victim, who is Black, was reportedly told to leave the country, before having their life threatened with a weapon.
"It deeply saddens us to hear of anything which goes against the tenor of this community. We continue to stand together unified, condemning any acts rooted in hate and discrimination," read a statement from Craig. "This Municipality firmly stands in support of inclusion, diversity, and equity, and we will continue to work with all members of our Municipality, particularly those from equity-seeking groups."
Both the victim's family and the Mayor hailed the efforts of bystanders, who stepped in to protect the teen from further harm and helped them get to safety.
"We'd like to celebrate the response of many in our community who were present and came to assist in a particular incident downtown," said Craig.
CKNX News Today contacted the OPP and Walkerton courthouse to see if additional charges have been filed against the man, but neither responded in time for publication.
The accused will appear in Walkerton court on August 27.
The victim's family said they're tired of passive acceptance of racist actions and want to make sure the threats are identified for what they were: hate speech. They acknowledged that racism in the community goes beyond this incident and work needs to be done in that area.
The Municipality of Kincardine for its part says it will be organizing some facilitated conversations in September with equity-seeking groups to identify ways to create a safer community for all.
"We are a diverse and vibrant community, and it will only remain like this if we work, play and live together, regardless of colour, background or ethnicity," said Craig. "We are dedicated to equity, we are designated to our residents, we are dedicated to our partners who work with us to build a respectful and safe place for everyone."