‘It’s not the police’s business’: Edmonton police criticized for social media post about online hate
Posted August 5, 2026 11:55 am.
Last Updated August 5, 2026 12:04 pm.
Edmonton police are putting a spotlight on hate crimes in the city, making a plea in a recent video on social media asking the public to report it.
But how do police decide what kind of comments are not just hurtful, but hateful and criminal?
The EPS’ video is now sparking debate about where to draw that line.
Advocate and community leader Varinder Bhullar says he’s seen a spike in racist comments on social media in recent years – comments like those telling Edmontonians part of the South Asian community to “go home,” despite being Canadian.
“When someone tells me to go back home, this is my home. Where can I go?” Bhullar said.
“I think we need to have some control on what someone says on social media.”
Edmonton police, which reported a rise in violent hate-motivated crimes last year, urged Edmontonians to report hate crimes in Saturday’s social media video.
The post highlighted online comments like “hang him, slowly,” “send them back home,” and various other calls for deportation.
That post is now facing backlash from critics who say police are confusing criminal hate speech with comments that may be harmful but legal because of Canada’s free speech laws.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Justice Minister Mike Ellis were among those critics.
“Free Speech is a foundational Alberta value,” the premier wrote on X. “We don’t believe in policing unpopular or religious-based statements even if they are controversial. That’s a slippery slope other countries have fallen into and we can’t go down that road.”
Premier Smith said Ellis would write to provincial and municipal police forces “to ensure they understand Albertans’ policing priorities should focus on violent crimes, illegal drugs, theft and vandalism…not people’s free speech.”
Also on X, Ellis wrote the province has a duty to uphold Albertans’ right to free speech.
“Alberta’s government does not condone hate speech or violence, but we believe law enforcement should be focused on stopping violent crime, not policing opinions or ‘hurt feelings,’” his post reads.
‘It’s not criminal hate speech’
Constitutional lawyer Josh Dehaas agrees with the criticism.
“I thought the post was really inappropriate because what it was doing is suggesting that offensive things or hurtful things that people might post online are actually criminal, and they’re not,” said Dehaas, the litigation director for the Canadian Constitution Foundation.
Dehaas thinks Edmonton police are missing the mark. He argues offensive comments that may be discriminatory or a human rights violation in other situations are not criminal.
“There’s no question that a post that advocates for deportation or that says a certain group should go home is extremely offensive,” the constitutional lawyer said. “It’s hurtful, it’s racist, but it’s not criminal hate speech.
“In Canada, we protect freedom of speech, including offensive speech. The Supreme Court has been clear about that. And if it’s not a criminal matter, then it’s not the police’s business.”
Former Edmonton police officer turned criminologist Dan Jones also thinks the EPS missed the mark in this case.
“We’ve seen the backlash from both sides of the fence that it was a failed attempt,” said Jones, the Chair of justice studies at NorQuest College. “And the police need to just get in the rooms with communities and community leaders.”
Bhullar told CityNews he would like to see governments focus on publicly condemning hate instead of attacking the EPS’ attempts to help people facing hate.
“I am very pro free speech, but when it comes to hurting someone, we need to come up with specific terms, specific terms that are not considered free speech,” he said. “Is it free speech to tell you that you go home, when this is their home? That’s not free speech.”
CityNews’ request for an interview by Edmonton police was not immediately granted.
–With files from Lauren Boothby
