Police in Brantford, Canada, asked a resident to remove window signs questioning Santa Claus's existence after community complaints. The messages, visible during the holiday parade, upset locals. While not illegal, authorities encourage festive spirit.
In Brantford, about 130 kilometers west of Toronto, a resident placed signs in his window reading 'Santa is fake', 'Santa is not real', 'Your parents are Santa', and 'Your family buys your gifts'. These became visible to participants in the traditional Santa Claus parade, an annual event through local streets.
Local police received numerous complaints from neighbors, including phone calls, emails, and social media messages, voicing their upset over the content. After visiting the man, authorities asked him to remove the signs, which he did. Brantford police clarified that no law prohibits such actions but stressed the value of promoting a positive and open community, especially during holidays and events like the parade.
The incident echoes a 1979-1980 case when Richard Dildy, a Vietnam War veteran, was arrested in Toronto for shouting similar denials during the local parade. Dildy, who gained fame in 1978 for wearing a sign seeking companionship after his divorce, appeared at his trial with a placard stating: 'Down with Santa! Up with the truth! Stop lying to children! Santa Claus must be unmasked!'. He was ultimately fined $50 or five days in jail and died in 1988.
In Canada, the Santa Claus tradition is robust; the Department of Defense even tracks his 'journey' via radar on Christmas Eve. Santa is believed to live at the North Pole, in international waters near Canadian territory.