The Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills constituency office in St. Paul was vandalized overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday, with rocks being thrown into the front window.
According to UCP MLA David Hanson, who contacted the Journal on Wednesday, RCMP responded to the incident. Hanson also said a suspect had turned himself in to RCMP on Wednesday morning.
“Yesterday night, my constituency office in St. Paul was vandalized, with our front windows shattered by large rocks thrown through them," said Hanson, in a media release sent out Wednesday afternoon from the United Conservative Party. “Thankfully, nobody was injured as the vandalism took place after hours when neither my local staff nor the Albertans who come into my office seeking assistance were present."
On Wednesday morning, Hanson said his office had also received an email from an individual taking responsibility for the incident, and attributing it to retaliation of a statement made on Twitter by an NDP minister.
The tweet, made by Minister Irfan Sabir suggested the UCP would make cuts to AISH, if elected.
“With regard to the incident at my constituency office, to be clear, I believe individuals are responsible for their own actions and do not mean to imply that the individual responsible for this vandalism is working on behalf of any party, nor that the NDP is responsible for this act," clarified Hanson, in the media release.
St. Paul RCMP confirmed they became involved in the incident at about 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday night.
"We are investigating," said Staff Sgt. Corey Blize.
When speaking to the Journal on Wednesday, Hanson said it was a "very upsetting" incident, and he felt the minister should apologize for the tweet.
The Journal also reached out to the minister's office for comment.
"We condemn all forms of violence and vandalism," said Shannon Greer, Deputy Director, Communications Office of the Premier, in an emailed response to the St. Paul Journal, Wednesday afternoon.
