Corey Fleischer is gaining a name for himself, for something that came so natural to him, he hadn’t really considered the value. The owner of a power-washing company, who is kept very busy with the amount of graffiti in Montreal, he would act on his own, and quickly, when seeing ugly hateful graffiti.
Listen“It’s very uncomfortable what I do. It’s an uncomfortable thing, I’m seeing “N” words srawled, I’m seeing swastikas, I’m seeing ‘Kill this person’, ‘Kill that person’, it makes people feel very uncomfortable.” Fleischer says this discomfort can distance people, and they walk on ignoring it.
“I get to stop the cycle of people being victimized by these crimes.”
When asked about the graffiti problem in Montreal, Corey Fleischer says “it’s out of control”. Much of this may be taggers, in the current youth culture leaving their mark. And in a city that leaves it up to the business owner or home owner to deal with, to have it removed and pay for it, Fleischer is already a very busy man.
But when confronting hate-graffiti or images, Fleischer removes it gratis, no charge to anyone. It’s his contribution, in fact he says. it has become his mission. He says 75 to 80 per cent of what he encounters is anti-semitic, which resonates deeply with him as a Jewish man.
“This is the thing with hate-crimes, and especially graffiti hate crimes, is that once a person passes by the graffiti and they actually realize what it says, you automatically become a victim.” He says he’s grateful he can act. “I get to stop the cycle of people being victimized by these crimes.”
One of the most memorable removals he’s ever done, was in the neighbourhood he grew up in. Dollard des Ormeaux is a Montreal suburb, with a large Jewish population. A woman called to ask if he could remove a huge swastika that had defaced her wall over 15 years ago. She had painted over it, in an attempt to erase it, but over time, the elements made the outline visible again. Corey Fleischer said confronting the image and the history was very moving for him.
After it was gone, Fleischer says the woman told him it had been bothering her for 15 years. She said, “I’ll never be able to forget what happened, but at least now I’ll be able to forgive.” He says that resonated with him also.
Word has begun to spread about the talented and committed removal artist. He says he may have undone 30 to 40 images anonymously over the past 5 years, now he’s getting calls and finding there’s more like 70 or 80 sites around the city.
Corey Fleischer’s ambition is to expand the service. Other cities in Canada deal with the same blight. He says he is the process of talks and negotiations with individuals and foundations of a similar view. If all goes well, his Provincial Power Wash company, may eventually become national.
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