‘This act of vandalism has caused immense grief to residential school survivors and their loved ones’
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Police in North Vancouver and the Squamish Nation are appealing for help identifying a vandal who damaged a carving dedicated to residential school victims.
The memorial carving outside the former Sisters of St. Paul convent on Sixth Street was damaged sometime before Jan. 24 of this year. An investigation over the ensuing months hasn’t led to the identification of a suspect.
“We were shocked and saddened when we discovered that the monument had been vandalized,” said Squamish Nation spokesperson Sxwíxwtn, also known as Wilson Williams.
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“This act of vandalism has caused immense grief to residential school survivors and their loved ones.”
The carving honors children of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, Sechelt and Musqueam nations who were taken from their parents and forced to live at St. Paul’s Residential School on the North Shore.
“Thus far, we have not been successful in identifying who was responsible,” said North Vancouver RCMP Sgt. Peter DeVries in a statement. “Today we are asking for the community’s help. If you have heard something, if you saw something, or if you know anything at all, please report it.”
Anyone with information is asked to call RCMP at 604-985-1311 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers, 1-800-222-8477.
