Edmonton Police Dept deletes X post threatening to arrest people over calls for deportation, offensive jokes — but Orwellian policy remains

The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) deleted a social media post discussing its hate-motivated incident reporting system after criticism erupted online over examples that included “offensive jokes” and other non-criminal conduct.

According to the Edmonton Police Service, a hate crime is a criminal offence committed against a person or property that is motivated in whole or in part by bias, prejudice, or hate based on factors including race, national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, sex, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or other similar characteristics. Examples of hate crimes include violence or threats of violence, acts of mischief or graffiti, distribution of hate propaganda, threatening phone calls, and the destruction of religious property or symbols.

It came after users circulated screenshots from the EPS online reporting system website, which defines a “hate motivated incident” as a “non-criminal action” motivated by bias or prejudice toward an identifiable group. The examples listed by EPS include “verbal insults (name-calling, offensive jokes) and slurs.”

Critics accused the police service of adopting a system similar to controversial “non-crime hate incident” policies used in the United Kingdom, arguing that police should not be involved in recording speech or conduct that does not meet the threshold of a criminal offence.

The criticism intensified after a post from the EPS X account discussing the reporting system was removed. Critics claimed the policy could be used to target lawful speech, including political opinions such as calls for immigration enforcement or deportation.

EPS’s own materials state that hate-motivated incidents are distinct from hate crimes, describing them as non-criminal actions motivated by bias or prejudice. The department says the purpose of collecting reports is to help investigators track hate-related activity and identify potential risks.

The department’s reporting system encourages residents to submit information about both criminal and non-criminal hate incidents, with reports reviewed by the EPS Hate Crimes Unit.