Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens and Police Chief Al Fredrick have been the subject of criticism after posing for a photo with a member of an anti-Muslim and anti-immigration group.

Both men attended an Oct. 15 walk on east-Windsor's Ganatchio Trail in support of 75-year-old Anne Widholm, who remains in critical condition after a brutal attack left her unconscious and bleeding on the trail in the early morning hours on Sunday Oct. 8.

A blogger on an anti-racism website drew attention to the photo shortly after it was taken.

Neither man knew they were taking a photo with a member of a politically polarized group. James Godden's photo was one of dozens taken with hundreds of community members in attendance throughout the day.

Godden’s Facebook page indicates he is the Essex County President of The Soldiers of Odin — a group known for its anti-Muslim and anti-immigration agenda.

Dilkens says there was nothing out of the ordinary about Godden when he approached and requested a picture.

"When you're at an event where there are 400 to 500 people, I probably took 10 to 12 pictures with families and kids that had asked for pictures," he says. "This person came up and identified himself as a business owner in the city of Windsor. He asked if the chief and I would take a picture."

He says it's impossible for public officials to screen every person they come in contact with.

Sgt. Steve Betteridge tells AM800 the context of the photo needs to be examined; an event in support of a fallen community member isn't a place for politics.

"To make sure that what they're wearing on the front of their coat, the back of their coat, on their hat, what could be on a tattoo, what could be on a brochure they're carrying," says Betteridge. "To make sure that's something that the service approves of, that's unrealistic."

Dilkens says as far as he knew, Godden was just another citizen out to support Widholm. He won't apologize for posing for the photo with someone he didn't know was associated with a hate-group.

"To the extent that I knew the organization the person was involved with and I knew what that organization stood for, if they are anti-immigrant or they're racist in any way," he says. "If I knew that person was part of a group that was disrespectful to people in my community, I would choose not to take a picture with that person."

Betteridge says Chief Fredrick wouldn't knowingly attach Windsor Police Services to a hate-group either.

"I'd hate to see the reason for that walk, the photos from that walk, to somehow be turned into another agenda, that had absolutely nothing to do with that walk on that day," he added.

Godden says he had no ulterior motive for being at the event, and he doesn't understand why anti-racism groups are choosing to make it about politics.

"I did not go to that walk with any political agenda at all. I went there to support a woman who was beaten in my community, which I found despicable and heinous," added Godden.

He tells AM800 News that people are painting everyone in the organization with the same brush, and that's not the case.

"I denounce racism 100%, I'm the only member in Windsor, the original group from Finland were racist, we broke away from them a while ago and we strictly work on a community basis," says Godden. "We try to make our community stronger with food-drives, clothing drives, and needle clean-ups."

Dilkens says many of the people who are "making an issue" out of the photo are, "trying to foster discontent for the municipal election next year."

Sudbury Police Chief Paul Pedersen publicly apologized for posing with Soldiers of Odin members at an event back in August of 2017. In that situation Pederson did know who they were and said he "should have politely declined," in an official statement.