Elenore Sturko knew from the tone of the man91裸聊视频檚 voice that his statement regarding her heritage wasn91裸聊视频檛 one of admiration.

91裸聊视频淪turko 91裸聊视频� that91裸聊视频檚 a Ukrainian name,91裸聊视频� he said.

On duty near the Pacific Highway border at the time, in her role as a sergeant with the Surrey RCMP, Sturko automatically deferred to de-escalation tactics, telling the man she was born in Canada, rather than letting him bait her into a confrontation.

91裸聊视频淚 knew they were trying to cause trouble with me,91裸聊视频� Sturko said Monday, as she explained a tweet she made the night before (Feb. 27) regarding a protester who 91裸聊视频渟tarted trying to shame me for my heritage.91裸聊视频�

2 weeks ago on duty by the border a protester saw my last name is Ukrainian and started to try to shame me for my heritage. I was proud of who I am 2 weeks ago - witnessing the courage of the Ukrainian people, I am even more fiercely proud of my heritage today.

91裸聊视频� Elenore Sturko (@elenoresturko)

The protester went on to call her a Nazi, and ask her 91裸聊视频渨hat kind of Ukrainian are you 91裸聊视频� a good one or a bad one?91裸聊视频� before disappearing to fetch a giant poster depicting a firing-squad image from the Holocaust. The man then stood some 20 feet away and yelled at her for an hour in Polish, 91裸聊视频渃alling me out basically about my Ukrainian heritage.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淎s much as we91裸聊视频� want to be professional, sometimes, stuff like that, it does plant a seed of sadness within you,91裸聊视频� Sturko said.

91裸聊视频淚 was upset by that.91裸聊视频�

The incident happened on Feb. 19, as the ongoing crisis between Russia and Ukraine was increasing in intensity.

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As upsetting as it was, Sturko, who is a South Surrey resident, said it didn91裸聊视频檛 have the effect that the protester was clearly aiming for, that of diminishing her pride in her roots, and shaming her. In fact, it did quite the opposite.

91裸聊视频淭o see how much love and respect there is for people who belong to my ethnic heritage is just incredibly important,91裸聊视频� Sturko said, referring to the outpouring of support that continues for Ukraine and its people during the ongoing invasion.

91裸聊视频淥ne out of hundreds of thousands of people said something that was very insulting, but there91裸聊视频檚 millions and millions of people right now showing their love and support and admiration for those in the Ukraine dealing with this terrible situation.

91裸聊视频淚 was at the protest, it was ugly, but there91裸聊视频檚 so much more beauty in what we91裸聊视频檙e seeing being demonstrated.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 an opportunity for us all to reflect on things that unite us.91裸聊视频�

Sturko is a second-generation Canadian. Her grandparents came to Canada from Ukraine more than a century ago 91裸聊视频� in 1908 and 1918 91裸聊视频� to escape 91裸聊视频渢errible91裸聊视频� conditions, including oppression and starvation.

While her grandparents quickly assimilated into Western culture 91裸聊视频� and didn91裸聊视频檛 speak much about the painful side of their history in the years that followed 91裸聊视频� her family did hold onto various traditions over the years, at Christmas and other occasions. Making Ukrainian Easter eggs and perogies are among the activities Sturko does with her own kids.

She said while she doesn91裸聊视频檛 know any family in Ukraine now, seeing the conflict and the war 91裸聊视频渋n an odd way91裸聊视频� has reconnected me with my cultural heritage.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淓ven seeing the resolve now of Ukrainian people fighting and battling for their country, it inspires me, I want to know more.

91裸聊视频淜nowing this is the home of my grandparents, it has a special significance for me, but I don91裸聊视频檛 think you need to have Ukrainian heritage91裸聊视频� to see the human side of war.91裸聊视频�