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Photo: Canadian Press
By Canadian Press
Statue Vandalized

Vandalism of statue at Catholic church in Edmonton follows other recent acts

Jun 28, 2021 | 1:23 PM

EDMONTON – A statue was vandalized at a Catholic church in Edmonton on the weekend, one of a string of recent acts against Catholic churches following the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at two former residential school sites.

Police in Edmonton say a female suspect was seen vandalizing a statue of Pope John Paul ll with paint outside of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church north of the city’s downtown late Saturday night.

The base of the statue was defaced with red paint and red handprints.

Last Thursday, the front of a Saskatoon cathedral was tagged with red handprints and the words “we were children” were painted on the doors.

Police in B.C. are also investigating four recent fires — two this weekend — that destroyed Catholic churches in that province’s southern Interior.

Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton Richard Smith says in a statement that they are saddened by the vandalism and that the parish and archdiocese “stand with the Indigenous Peoples in this moment of profound sorrow.”

(The Canadian Press)

by Canadian Press