On Thursday, July 1, paint and messages were splashed on eleven more churches in Alberta and one in Newfoundland.
To reiterate something I’ve said before, in case my intent is misconstrued:
I am not celebrating and cheering painted messages, broken windows, or catholic churches burnt to the ground.
I am saying actions against property should be investigated after the deaths and murders of thousands of children are investigated, after their families and communities are given answers and the killers arrested, if still alive. Property is not more valuable than human lives.
From the Calgary Herald:
Calgary police investigate after at least 11 Catholic churches vandalized with orange and red paint
Calgary police are investigating after at least 11 city Catholic churches were vandalized.
The acts of vandalism discovered on Canada Day appear to be the latest in a series of recent protests against the church’s historic involvement in Canada’s residential school system.
The vandalism at the churches included spattered paint over a statue of Jesus Christ, painted handprints on doors and text reading “Charge the priests” and “Our lives matter.”
At one church, a window was smashed so paint could also be thrown inside.
[. . .]
“The recent discovery of these graves further supports the tragic and heartbreaking stories that Indigenous people have been sharing for many decades,” the Calgary Police Service release said.
“Given the harm this chapter of our history has caused to Indigenous people in our community, it is understandable that emotions and tensions are running high.”
Police said vandalism like this is illegal, however, adding it creates further division within Calgary. They said they are searching for those responsible.
And yet your focus is on property damage which can be repaired, not murders for which there is no statute of limitations?
The least shocking part is Alberta’s ignorant and racist premier Jason Kenney choosing to throw gasoline on the fire by inciting hate and violence against First Nations people. The question is, will he suffer any splash damage from his own words?
“This scale of violence attacking a faith community is an attack on constitutionally protected freedom of religion, it is an attack on Canadian values,” Kenney said Wednesday, calling the attacks a hate crime.
That language led to criticism from Alberta’s Chiefs of the Sovereign Nations of Treaty No. 8, who said Kenney’s language will only promote hatred toward Alberta’s Indigenous populations.
“Kenney must recant his statement and apologize for perpetuating harm on Indigenous Peoples, and more specifically residential school survivors,” the chiefs said in a joint statement.
From the CBC:
Red paint smeared on doors, steps of Basilica Cathedral in St. John’s
Red paint was seen splattered over some steps and doors of the Basilica Cathedral in St. John’s Thursday morning, following a series of similar events across Canada after more than 1,000 unmarked graves were found on the grounds of former residential schools across the country.
Paint was seen across the door handle of the church’s parish, along with being smeared across the steps of the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese on Military Rd.
A cleaning crew was on the scene with a pressure washer Thursday morning.
CBC News has asked the Basilica and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary for comment but haven’t received a reply yet.
The most galling part of this second news item is the caption after a picture:
It’s unclear when or why the paint was placed on the steps and door of the cathedral.
“It’s unclear why”? If you can’t figure this out by now, how did you get a job as a reporter? Or are you just a stenographer and an apologist?
The First Nations protesters have carried signs saying Every Child’s Life Matters.
Over the last eighteen months, there have been many attempts to demean, devalue, misuse and misconstrue the Black Lives Matter slogan (e.g. “all lives”, “cops lives”, “black labs”, “black flags”, etc.).
It’s unlikely anyone will object to use of the BLM slogan to protest against racist murders of innocent First Nations children.